Competition for nectar with native bees

[SWEET]

Interesting response from a site/nature reserve today;-
Unfortunately, we don't allow beehives to be installed next to nature reserves as the bees are in direct competition for nectar with native bees, which are in serious decline.

I've read a few studies and also read the articles based on inner London and possible issues but is this really a problem?. There has been a massive reduction in beekeepers over the past 100 years yet a massive reduction in insect populations so without some decent research to back this up it appears untrue (or is it)

Thanks

 

[pargyle]

Interesting response from a site/nature reserve today;-
Unfortunately, we don't allow beehives to be installed next to nature reserves as the bees are in direct competition for nectar with native bees, which are in serious decline.

I've read a few studies and also read the articles based on inner London and possible issues but is this really a problem?. There has been a massive reduction in beekeepers over the past 100 years yet a massive reduction in insect populations so without some decent research to back this up it appears untrue (or is it)

Thanks

No ... there was a long thread on this subject a while ago ... there's little evidence that honey bees affect other pollinators .. the studies quoted took minute samples and were flawed. This fake new originated in the US where vast numbers of colonies are moved to areas to pollinate crops and it appears that they were blamed for a dramatic decline in other pollinators - although I suspect that the reasons are more to do with monoculture and insecticides than the migratory beekeeping.

 

[IndiBee]

Its a shame when organizations start making decisions based on made up science.
Maybe worth you asking them to show you what evidence they used to base that decision on.

 

[SWEET]

Indeed, especially when the area is 3,487 km²

 

[simonwig]

When they say "next to nature reserves", do they own the land next to the reserve, or what powers do they have to dictate what happens there?

Do ask for their evidence, I'd be really interested to read it, and do tell us who they are.

Simon

 

[gregior]

I got refused by the local wildlife trust for the same reason.

 

[Pembroke]

Ask them what their extermination policy for the Tree bumble bee is? After all it's an invasive species so stealing nectar from our native bees.

 

[ericbeaumont]

ask for their evidence

The debate has run for at least forty years; a definitive conclusion has yet to appear, and nor will it.

The variables of insect population and available forage are bound to prevent accurate analysis.

Instead, conservation bodies rely on the precautionary principle and decline to allow honey bees on conservation land in case they deprive less numerate pollinators of forage.