There are some 20,000 species of bees, in seven to nine recognized families. Most people think of just one of them, the honey bee, which are in fact seven species and 44 subspecies. The first thought is for their honey, but they are also thought of for their value as crop pollinators.
Up until now, this has been grand, but with modern transportation of honey bees, there is a problem. That is, moving all these bees around makes them very prone to shared diseases, that can wipe out whole colonies.
But there may be a simpler solution. While only honey bees can make edible honey, they are not the only insect that can be used for pollination. So why not limit the movement of honey bees around the country, and instead use other bees to do the work of pollinating crops?
If done in a sensible manner, beekeepers will have the inconvenience of raising a second, non-competing insect side by side with their honey bees, with the honey bees staying home, and the other insect on the road. But in exchange, they can significantly lower the exposure of their honey bees to new diseases, which can wipe out the beekeeper financially.
That being said, I suppose it’s ironic that killer bees, the aggressive hybrid bees from South America, are known as well for their delicious honey, and some resistance to the diseases that threaten the other honey bees.
I completely agree.