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Foreign Bees Monopolize Prize Resources in Biodiversity Hotspot

Immense numbers of introduced honey bees overwhelm native pollinators for access to pollen and nectar

Hike around the natural habitats of San Diego County and it becomes abundantly clear that honey bees, foreign to the area, are everywhere. In a study published last year, researchers at the University of California San Diego found that honey bees are the most widespread and abundant pollinators of wild plants in the world, with the San Diego region having exceptionally high honey bee visitation on native plants—roughly three-quarters of all observed pollinators.