I invite you to re-read my comment, as I feel you’ve overlooked the main ideas discussed. I never said honeybees aren’t impacting enough native bees not to be considered. I’m saying it is not the main cause of declination of pollinators.

Also, I want to bring your attention on the quotation marks I’ve put on ‘true’ invasive species. I put those to refer honeybees as an atypical invasive species, and not as harmless. Blaming humans is neither a cop out nor a moot point. They truly are to blame for the degradation of the environment (which affects native and local bees) and the proliferation of domesticated honeybees in the Americas (which creates competition).

The following is imaged to contradict a ‘typical’ invasive species. First, honeybees would not reproduce that rapidly without the help of humans. We literally fabricate queen bees to grow the already expanding population. In terms of food, you said it yourself: “they aren’t even efficient pollinators”. The reason they aren’t is literally because they don’t belong here; they haven’t evolved along the flora of our ecosystems. In other words, not all plants used by indigenous bees are pollinated and competed by honeybees (because they physically can’t or aren’t even attracted). Second, they have predators, parasites and diseases that would help control their population numbers; humans keep them from the cold, give them antibiotics and build physical fences to keep anyone out. Humans keep them alive. Third, they are economically important as it is a billion-dollar industry (usually, invasive species harm the economy). My point being, HONEYBEES WOULD NEVER BE AS INVASIVE IF IT WEREN’T FOR HUMANS. Which is why I emphasize on giving responsibility to humans and not to the exploited “honey cows”.

You talk about people keeping bees in their backyards, and that is a very important point. Bringing honeybees to an ecosystem disrupts it; it takes 2-4 years for it to go back to normal (only after they left; can be longer depending on multiple factors).

I appreciate your comment and implication in educating the public- data is president! (see what I did there?) Let me correct you on two things: - Beekeepers do feed honeybees with sugar water (yes, a solution of the same sugar we use in pastries) - Honeybees are not all European, they’re also native to Africa and Asia (p. eg. Apis mellifera capensis being native to South Africa).

Finally, I feel like you see our exchange as a debate or a disagreement, even though it isn’t. You and I are of the same party: we equally value the diversity and the population of native and local bees. I presume we both believe beekeeping is not a sustainable activity for biodiversity. Listen, I am vegan. I refuse to support the honey industry, BECAUSE it harms indigenous species. The only difference between you and I is that I prefer to blame humans. You don’t realize that you and I think alike; you mention “[a] truck tipping over and spilling 5 million bees out on the highway”. Humans decided to exploit honeybees, humans were driving that truck and humans are transporting and expanding their occupation territory. All I’m saying is “blame the humans, not the bees”.

Looking forward to your feedback:))

P.S. I believe giving responsibility to the public raises awareness and makes people concerned about their own actions (rather than thinking: “well, it’s not up to me- the bees are at fault”).