Beekeeping is the new "Honey-Do," but it's not all rosey.
Most everybody knows the
population of pollinators, especially bees, is in trouble—and since we depend
on pollinators for a lot of our food, we know if they are in trouble, we are
too.
For this reason, and
because bees are cool creatures, many people have become backyard beekeepers.
There are good reasons to raise bees. Beekeepers tend to promote habitat
restoration and less pesticide use—policies that benefit everybody.
But the hobby of
beekeeping may be doing more harm than good. Commercial bees live it tight
quarters, can easily introduce disease to hive mates, and infect flowers where
other insects (and wild bees) dine. Imagine eating off of the same plate as
your neighbors. Also, domesticated honey bees compete for food with wild bees,
and are not as effective pollinators as some wild bees.
The reality is that while
pollinators are in decline, many populations of wild bees are the ones who are
seriously threatened. Our familiar and beloved honey bees are not in danger of
extinction. (Lo, their population has actually been rising.)
If you really want to
make your own honey and/or study bee society, raising bees is a fun and
increasingly popular hobby. But please be a conscientious beekeeper. Don’t go
for non-native species and have your hive regularly screened for disease. On
the other hand, if your mission is ultimately to help support pollinator
populations, plant wild flowers instead.