Where Would We Be Without Bees?

Nearly one-third of the U.S. food supply requires the common honeybee, Apis mellifera, for pollination. These agricultural services add approximately $15 billion to the cost of food production within this country (Van Engelsdrop et al., 2008) and make a significant contribution to crop production. While there are other sources of animal pollination, also called biotic pollination, the honeybee pollinates about 130 different crops, including fruit, vegetables, and tree nuts within the United Stat…