It’s OK to love all the bees (the honey bees, too)

North America’s bee populations are in trouble, but don’t blame the honey bees. While some people argue that an overabundance of managed honey bees – those raised to help pollinate crops and produce honey – is causing native bees to disappear, the evidence doesn’t support the claim. What is true is that populations of many species of bees, including honey bees, are struggling. Half of all honey bee colonies die every winter in the United States, on average. Commercial beekeepers experienced their highest losses on record – more than 60% of their colonies – in the winter of 2024-25. Overall, one-fifth of pollinators in North America are considered to be at risk for extinction due in large part to habitat loss, rising temperatures, extreme weather, diseases and pesticides. We study bees and other vital pollinators, and we can tell you that there are good reasons to love all the bees. In fact, they’re essential. Why care about pollinators? Bees help farmers grow the foods people love to eat, everything from apples to almonds. Along with other pollinators – such as flies, butterflies and moths – bees help nearly 80% of flowering plants produce fruit and seeds, which in turn support…

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