Quote:
|
Originally Posted by RattlesnakeHunter
Who is more important to Man's way of life in the United States A common Honey Bee or 100,000 people?
The Bee!
The Honey Bee is our chief pollinator...take it away and we are in serious trouble.
|
Honey bees, while excellent pollinators (and really interesting creatures), are not even indigenous to North America. They were brought here by Europeans in the 1600s. In NH, there are very few "wild" honey bees. They are very susceptible to mites (and other problems) and require substantial care and management to survive our harsh Winters. Most of the honey bees in NH are the result of professional or hobbyist beekeeping.
It's quite possible that the introduction of honey bees in North America directly or indirectly caused some other species of insect, plant or animal to go extinct.