For #NationalPollinatorWeek, we would love to take a moment to bring the spotlight to the poster-child of pollinators:
The European honey bee (Apis mellifera) is not native to North America but has become an integral part of agriculture in the United States. Honey bees are generalists in that they forage on a variety of plant species, including many of the food crops that are also not native to the U.S.
Did you know TN has ~7,000 registered beekeepers who manage ~39,000 hives?! These beekeepers and their bees help local agriculture and wildlife through their pollination services.
If you want to learn more about honey bees and beekeeping (or are looking for a new virtual background for online video meetings), check out the UT Apiculture website:
https://epp.tennessee.edu/masterbee/
