This is the main conclusion of a risk assessment conducted by the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food and Environment (VKM) for the Norwegian Environment Agency.

For bee species that depend on one or few plant species to survive, the risk is assessed as higher (medium) due to potential competition with managed honey bees for resources. This includes species like the large scabious mining bee (Andrena hattorfiana). The risk is also assessed as medium for bumblebees in homogeneous landscapes with limited floral resources.

Assignment

At the request of the Norwegian Environment Agency, VKM summarised available literature on the effects of honey bee keeping on wild pollinating insects and assessed whether beekeeping poses a risk to wild pollinators in Norway. VKM also identified and assessed the effectiveness of potential risk-reducing measures.

Risk

VKM identified three potential hazards related to beekeeping and assessed the risk of negative effects on wild pollinators from these hazards:

• Competition for floral resources. VKM assesses that beekeeping poses a medium risk for certain bee species that depend on one or a few plant species to survive, such as the large scabious mining bee (Andrena hattorfiana) and bumblebees in homogeneous landscapes with limited floral resources, due to potential competition for these resources. For all other wild pollinating insects in Norway, the risk from competition for floral resources is assessed as low.
• Spread of pathogens and parasites. VKM assesses that the risk of spreading pathogens and parasites to wild pollinating insects due to beekeeping is low, partly due to the high hygiene standards in Norwegian beekeeping.
• Indirect effects from changes in plant communities and predator populations. VKM assesses that the risk is low. for managed honey bees affecting plant community composition in a way that reduces floral resource availability for wild pollinators. The risk of predators of managed honey bees negatively affecting wild pollinators is also assessed as low, as the European hornet is the only potential predator and occurs in low numbers and limited areas.

Risk-reducing measures

VKM identified and assessed the effectiveness of three types of risk-reducing measures that could mitigate the potential negative effects of beekeeping on wild pollinators in Norway:

• Management of floral resources. Reducing the number of managed honey bees or increasing the amount of floral resources in an area can reduce competition for floral resources. Establishing flower strips and promoting native flora are potential measures. Mapping floral resources can help estimate the carrying capacity of an area and guide hive placement. Further research is needed to make such measures effective, as the floral preferences and resource needs of most wild pollinating insects in Norway are unknown. Establishing buffer zones around vulnerable populations of wild pollinators can protect these populations.
• Promoting good health in managed honey bees. Good health among managed honey bees reduces the risk of spillover of diseases and parasites to wild pollinators. The risk of disease spillover from managed honey bees to wild pollinators is assessed as low in Norway, due to the current hygiene practices among Norwegian beekeepers and effective monitoring by the Norwegian Food Safety Authority. However, local disease outbreaks or a general reduction in the health of managed honey bees could increase the risk of negative impacts on wild pollinators, while measures to maintain good health among honey bees will mitigate this risk.
• Increased knowledge of floral resources and needs of wild pollinators. Increased knowledge of the availability of floral resources and the dietary needs of wild pollinators can guide hive placement and reduce the potential for competition between managed honey bees and wild pollinating insects. Better understanding of the degree of dietary overlap between managed honey bees and various groups of wild pollinators is also important for tailoring risk-reducing measures effectively.