I strongly advise AGAINST HB517. These bees are actually detrimental to the health of Virginia’s native bees. Just because they produce honey and pollinate does not mean they are good for Virginia’s environment. It literally has the word EUROPEAN in it ! There are many species of bumblebee native to Virginia more in need of a conservation boost and who also provide more robust pollination services via buzz pollination. Why would we make a bee NOT from Virginia the state pollinator ? Make it make sense. Virginia’s ability to use basic scientific knowledge would be questioned as a whole and would be viewed as a joke for declaring this bee as the state pollinator.

I strongly support this bipartisan bill designating the honeybee (Apis mellifera) as the official state pollinator. Over 1,000 Virginians (myself included) signed the petition requesting that the honeybee be declared as the official state pollinator. As Delegate Hope and Delegate Fowler have noted, the honeybee is integral to the success of Virginia's important agricultural industries and native Virginia plants. The honeybee was also vital for the success of the Jamestown settlement (where it was first introduced in North America) because honeybees allowed European colonists to pollinate non-native fruits and vegetables they brought, like apples, potatoes, and peaches. Virginia would not be Virginia without the honeybee!

I fully support HB517. They may be called European Honey Bees, but they are as American as apple pie. Please support them as they are crucial to farming and are so beneficial to humans. Thank you.

You can't support the honeybee, or any pollinator, without giving them every chance to survive. As you know, the honeybee population has been under threat for decades now, in part due to many deadly pesticides. If you are going to pass this bill, it follows that you must address pesticide drift and other poor agricultural practices. Without pollinators we all die.

We must save honeybees ! This is a step in the right direction!

As a beekeeper, I fully support HB517 designating the European honey bee (Apis mellifera) as Virginia's official state pollinator. Although not native to Virginia, honey bees have been an integral part of Virginia's history since they arrived with the first European colonists around 1622.

As a beekeeper, I fully support HB517 designating the European honey bee (Apis mellifera) as Virginia's official state pollinator. Although not native to Virginia, honey bees have been an integral part of Virginia's history since they arrived with the first European colonists around 1622.

I am in support of bill HB517. I am a beekeeper in August County Virginia.

I've lived in Grayson County for over 25 years. I moved here because of the wholesomeness of the land and have spent my time gardening, and preserving and tending my land in various ways. At the time I moved here I don't think there was a single Christmas tree farm that I know of. I am now surrounded by tree farms and have one large one directly adjacent to my land. I have always had a large garden and have planted many many varieties of plants that attract various bees, butterflies and other pollinators. I keep my fields uncut for the winter to support wildlife, I use no chemicals at all on my land and I continue to introduce more native species for pollinators. When I first moved here there were huge populations of various kinds of pollinators especially bumblebees and honeybees and I always found crowds all over the different flowering plants as well as butterflies everywhere. Anymore I come across the occasional few bumblebees and much fewer honeybees and the air is no longer full of the various pollinators that used to come here . Most of the tree growers have shifted from hand spraying of pesticides to helicopter application and the drift goes onto my land as well. I have to keep doors and windows closed during applications and I worry about everything going into the water because there is so much water here that originally was so healthy when I first moved here. I find it deplorable to have an agricultural practice that concentrates on a vast monoculture and that is for the purpose of simply an ornament that is used for a few weeks during the year and then disposed of. That wildlife and people have to endure the effects of this poisoning of their community land and in their air and their water is unconscionable. At a time when we are facing so many collapsing natural systems that this is allowable is frankly disgusting and a total failure on the part of our political systems and the unwillingness for politicians to take a stand and advocate for laws that actually support life instead of supporting one form of an extractive and death-dealing economy . Who really benefits from the spreading disaster of Christmas tree farming? It does not support the general community because no one's life is confined to what they do on their own turf. The air we breathe, the water we drink and the space we move through is shared with others. Property lines are an abstract concept. we share communal environments for good or for bad. When a Christmas tree farm owner has a mountainside clear cut and tractor roads dug in to it all the way to the top, we lose healthy micro climates that we all share and we often stress or kill the wildlife who made their homes in or under the trees or who found food and water in the forest. And then we lose even more when herbicides a regularly applied and pesticides are sprayed. I implore you as a caring and responsible member of humanity to act on behalf of our communal living systems and protect our pollinators.

Our official honey bee should be a native honey, Apis Mellifera, not a European Honey Bee. European Honey Bees are a potential threat to native bee species.

As a beekeeper I strongly support HB517 to designate the honey bee as our state pollinator. Honey bees first came to our state in Jamestown in 1622. They have continued to increase the quantity and quality of our state's crops. My honey bees work all year long pollinating early spring blossoms as well as goldenrod in the fall. Since becoming a beekeeper five years ago, I have learned a lot about honey bees and Virginia's native bees. I have also taught others about the importance of ALL pollinators, which I would not have been able to do without working with, and learning about, honey bees. Vote YES and make the honey bee the Virginia State Pollinator. Thank you.

THE AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA URGES A “NO” VOTE ON HB517 The Audubon Society of Northern Virginia (ASNV) is a 5,000-member independent chapter of the National Audubon Society. Its mission is to engage all Northern Virginia communities in enjoying, conserving, and restoring nature for the benefit of birds, other wildlife, and people. HB517 is undoubtedly well-intentioned, but it would be a mistake to designate the European Honeybee as the State Bee. European honeybees are important to certain agricultural crops. However, there are several reasons to not designate it as the State Bee. First – and obviously – the European Honeybee is not native to Virginia or to North America. Customarily Virginia’s official state birds, animals, flowers and the like are native species. There is no compelling reason to depart from that practice. Second, while European honeybees are important in an agricultural setting, they are poor pollinators of our native plants. Because they collect pollen in tight packets on their abdomens, they don’t spread much pollen from one plant to another. Also, in many cases, they obtain pollen by cutting through the base of the flower, so they don’t contact the stigma at all, and don’t transfer any pollen to another flower. Finally, high densities of European Honeybees harm the native bees that are essential to Virginia’s biodiversity and ecological balance. European Honeybees live in colonies of about 30,000 bees. When they are present, their large numbers outcompete native bees, which are solitary nesters, by reducing the amount of forage available to them. Numerous studies have confirmed the negative impact of honeybee colonies on the population of native bees. The Audubon Society of Northern Virginia is committed to helping to preserve and protect our environment. Designation of the European Honeybee as the State Bee would send the wrong message to the public, which needs to no more about native bees’ importance to the ecosystem. Respectfully submitted, Tom Blackburn, Advocacy Chair Audubon Society of Northern Virginia 11100 Wildlife Center Drive Reston VA 20190

As a native of Virginia, I strongly support HB517 to designate the honey bee as our state pollinator. The state's emblems and designations should be unique to or uniquely connected to Virginia. The honey bee is part of Virginia's culture, traditions, and history. Honey bees first appeared in our state's (and nation's) history at Jamestown in 1622. They contributed to ending famines and plagues by increasing the quantity and quality of the foods of the early colonists. They continue to add to the production and profits of our farmlands today. Their pollination efforts provided food and harborage for Virginia’s wildlife when honey bees moved into the forests to aid in pollination of non-agriculture plants. Today, they continue to help stabilize and diversify the forests and meadows that make Virginia’s landscape an attraction to her citizens, visitors from other states, and tourists from other countries. Virginians annually celebrate honey month in September. Products from the beehive are incorporated into our foods, candlelight evenings, and cosmetics. No other pollinator has a more positive impact on Virginia’s economy, quality of life, or environment than the honey bee. There may be a more efficient pollinator, such as a bumble bee, for some plants but there is no more effective pollinator than the honey bee. Adult mason bees are active 6 to 8 weeks in the spring. Honey bee workers are active 365 days a year. Which of these pollinators are going to be more effective pollinating goldenrod and wingstem in the fall? A bumble bee colony starts from a single gyne in late winter and grows to a few dozen to a few hundred individual workers by early fall. Honey bee workers in a single colony number in the 10's of thousands, all year. Which one is more effective pollinating early blooming dandelions and maples near their nest? Many solitary bees display preference for a single or only a few species of plants. Honey bees are generalist pollinators with individuals in a single colony daily visiting up to a quarter million blossoms on trees and brambles in forests, wildflowers in meadows, blooming plants in wetlands, and, yes, flowering crops in orchards and farmlands. Other pollinators have been suggested as the state pollinator accompanied by claims the honey bee is harmful to other pollinators and the environment. But are these alternatives unique to or uniquely connected to Virginia? Can those opposed to this bill show that their alternative choices are totally harmless to other pollinators and the environment? Honey bees feed on honey and pollen, not other insects. Other pollinators prey on plants by consuming stems of small plants or leaves on trees or use plant materials for constructing their nests. Perhaps those opposed to this bill can explain how bumble bees and other bees thrived side by side with the honey bee in Virginia for nearly 400 years. It is not the honey bee that is wreaking havoc on our pollinators by bulldozing pollinator habitat and introducing exotic diseases and pests. Virginia is the "Mother of States". Nearly half of her “children” include the honey bee among their emblems and designations. It is time Virginia includes the honey bee among her emblems and designations. The honey bee is the most effective pollinator in the Commonwealth, the epitome of a beneficial insect, uniquely connected to Virginia, and deserving the designation of our state pollinator.

As a beekeeper, a lawyer, and a wife of a U.S. veteran I strongly support HB517. Honey bees - Apis mellifera - play crucial role in providing recreational therapy for our veterans, especially those with PTSD diagnosis. Hives for Heroes, Heroes to Hives, Bees4Vets and other organizations helped a lot of the U.S. veterans to have a healthy transition from service. Several veterans reported that beekeeping improves their social connections and helps to decrease their symptoms of depression and post-traumatic stress, resulting in a reduced need for medication and therapy visits. If honey bees are able to heal our veterans, just this reason alone would be enough for me to vote YES in support of this Bill. Further, what conservationists do not realize is that beekeepers are some of the most engaged advocates for improved pollinator habitats and stewards of healthy environment across the U.S. Designating the honey bee as the Virginia state pollinator will empower the beekeepers not only to raise overall awareness of honey bees, but also to attract more attention to the native pollinators. Moreover, based on scientific studies, the evidence that honey bees are outcompeting native pollinators is mainly inconclusive. Some of the studies suggest that honey bees and native bees cooperate when pollinating the same plants, doubling the rates of pollinated flowers, which results in more food and seed produced. In addition, honey bees and native pollinators have had more than 400 years to become acquainted and adapt to each other's presence. In 400 years honey bees became part of ecosystem and not its disruptors. Last, but not least, the first official record of honey bees being brought to what is now the United States mentions Virginia as their first destination, which makes it even more symbolic to designate the honey bee as a Virginia state pollinator.

The plight and importance of pollinators can't be over-estimated , especially the Honey Bee ... While all pollinators are important, the impact of honey bees is enormous... Honey Bees are the Canary in the Coal Mine.... What happens to them happens to all of us .... While some people say that honey bees are crowding out native bees, however all pollinators are in decline from environmental and human stressors... Because beekeepers can raise large numbers of Honey Bees, it is the only reason we all aren't starving ... Where there aren't large quantities of Honey Bees, other pollinators aren't thriving either .... The only solution that Farmers have is to rent Honey Bee Hives at huge expense ... We can't raise millions of Bumble Bees or other Native Bees ... We do need to promote and protect Native Bees as well, but what helps the Honey Bees helps them too... This Bill is a first step in protecting all of them and ourselves in the process ... Please pass it .... Our children are depending on us to leave a better place to live ....

Let's put forth a NATIVE pollinator that is in jeopardy: the rusty patch bumble bee: the bombus afinis! It has been listed as federally endangered since 2017. https://www.fws.gov/species/rusty-patched-bumble-bee-bombus-affinis According to the Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE), our Commonwealth is home to 14 species of bumblebee. As a native insect, it has co-evolved to exist with the plants native to Virginia, and its habitat is under threat due to development, pesticide use, landscape use of non-native plants, and the proliferation of the European Honey Bee. The National Wildlife Federation has a terrific article here about the European Honey Bee and our native bees. https://blog.nwf.org/2020/04/how-you-can-help-our-disappearing-bumble-bees/ Let's please protect a native, endangered pollinator over a naturalized insect. Vote NO to HB517

My husband and I are backyard beekeepers in South Chesterfield, but even if we weren't, we would strongly support this bill. The impact on the agricultural economy of Virginia is enormous, and increased awareness can only serve to help all pollinators. The honey bee serves as a gateway of interest to a world of pollinators, who are all important and serve a purpose in our state.

Please make the "Honeybee" the Virginia State pollinator

I am asking for your support on House Bill 517, which recognizes the honey bee as the State Pollinator.

Overhead county- wide spraying of commercial Christmas tree fields is poisonous to our wildlife, insects, humans and water! I fully support the implementation of any laws that stop this to preserve our environment and ecology. Without bees, we cannot survive!

As a beekeeper and naturalist, I strongly OPPOSE designating a non-native species as the state pollinator. A butterfly, bird, or bee native to the landscape would actually celebrate Virginia wildlife, and not domesticated/farmed animals brought from the old world.

I have been living in/visiting Grayson County for over 35 years and have watched as our bee population has dramatically decreased over this time. Last year I rarely recall seeing any bees and this has proven to be caused by the aerial spraying of pesticides and insecticides in our area. If we can protect the bees, specifically by passing this legislation, there can be a return of the bees that pollinate our flowers and vegetables. Bee kind!

As a beekeeper for nine years, I find this designation a must. Pesticides are ruining our landscape and needs to be controlled. Time for action to protect this vital resource.

As someone who is both a member of both the beekeeping community and the scientific community, I strongly OPPOSE House Bill 517. Never more than now do our native insects and pollinators need advocacy to promote their importance in both sustainable agriculture and ecological balance. While the European honeybee plays a role in agriculture in the US, making it the state pollinator sends an incredibly misleading message about the limited role is serves in pollination. With ecosystems ranging from coastal to the blue ridge mountains, Virginia is home to unique landscapes and, as a result, unique biodiversity, some of which can't be found anywhere else in the world. The state pollinator should highlight one of the many native organisms that call our state home and help promote the importance of both native plants and native pollinators to the health of our state and it's inhabitants.

I commented earlier opposing the designation of the non-native European honey bee because I feel strongly that our native bees (and other beneficial insects) need attention and protection, too, but I have an additional thought: Perhaps a compromise would be to designate "Bees" without specifying a species?

This year, for the first time ever, there were no blackberries around here. None. I visited my childhood home in Newport News one recent June, and the lawn was thick with clover, just as I remembered. I had a visceral memory of running across it barefoot, hopping to avoid the bees that were everywhere, buzzing around the flowers and pollinating. This time, there was NOT ONE SINGLE BEE on that lawn. How can this be? Where I live in Southwest Virginia, there is a mega corporation that is using aerial spray irresponsibly. Under the current regulatory framework, enforcement is a joke. Drift from the spray travels far from the mountaintops where the spraying occurs. It accumulates in our wildflowers and is carried back to the hive. Even the non-lethal pesticides affect bees' foraging behavior, their immune system, their gut biota, and their memory, making the hives vulnerable to all manner of pathogens. Most bee hobbyists here have given up. Recently a professional apiarist in Wythe County had to sue the above mentioned corporation when his 600 hives died due to the spraying of pesticides. The corporation wants to settle. How can that not be an admission of guilt? But the six figure settlement would not cover the cost of the hives and would just be chum change to the corporation that is rapidly destroying our rural way of life, making it almost impossible to live here. The cost of renting bees is rising due to their growing scarcity. People don't want to invest in hives any more because they are very likely to lose their money. By making Apis mellifera our state pollinator, HB517 would make it easier to pass the laws that we really, really need to protect our most valuable pollinator. Our very food security depends on that. I don't know about you, but I will miss fresh strawberries!

Comments Document

Oppose HB 517 – Referred to Committee on General Laws The European bee is an imported, invasive species that preys on Virginia’s native bees. From about 20 scientists and Kathy Shenkle, the one who requested the bee and flower. This was "my" bill. I need to oppose my own bee bill because they chose a bee that the experts I consulted did not nominate. The designated state bee is my request, my bill, and my research. Our nominees for designated Virginia native bumble bee, and Virginia native ground flower are the: Brown-belted bumble bee (Bombus griseocollis), and the Marsh Blue Violet (Viola cucullata). Virginia’s Mason Bee Study expert (Prof. Roulston) said she would rather have no state bee than have the European bee as the designee. Bees such as these are invasive species that prey on our native bees. Yes, bees eat bees. She could have nominated the bee that Virginia paid her to study, the Blue Orchard Mason Bee which also pollinates the nominated ground flower, but she suggested the brown-belted bumble bee because it is found in the whole state. Newspaper editors and reporters also want an American bee. Our goal was to designate a Virginia native state bee and Virginia native ground flower that are the most commonly-found in Virginia. The Marsh Blue Violet is everywhere in Virginia, and so is the nominated bee. The Marsh Blue Violet (Viola cucullata) is found in all but five counties in Virginia; and is a host for birds, bees, butterflies, mammals, the nominated bee, and our state insect – the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly. Here are more reasons and supporters: • Delegate Hope agreed with me when he agreed to be the chief patron in December 2023. • The General Assembly funded the Mason Bee Study done by T'ai Roulston, Curator, State Arboretum of Virginia, Research Associate Professor, Department of Environmental Science, at The University of Virginia, and she narrowed down the list of nominees. • Many Virginia scientists are opposed to the European bee, but they do support the final bee they recommended, Brown-belted bumble bee (Bombus griseocollis). • Newspaper editors and reporters also want an American bee. • Axios wrote, “We can't help but demand designation for American bees. Like true patriots.” The future state bee designee must have these characteristics: 1. The Brown-belted bumble bee is a Virginia native living all over Virginia. 2. It pollinates the same flower as our state insect, the plentiful Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus), species of butterfly native to eastern North America. 3. It is a non-invasive species. 4. It does not harm the plants that are native to Virginia. 5. Many Virginia scientists are opposed to the European bee, but they do support the bee they recommended themselves, the Brown-belted bumble bee (Bombus griseocollis). Virginia scientists added more parameters to make their decision. Ground Flower: 6. The Marsh Blue Violet is found in Virginia's Eastern Shore, in the mountains, and everywhere in between. 7. The flower must be one that is not toxic to cats, dogs, horses, bees, butterflies, nor humans. 8. This species of violet grows in everyone's yard all over Virginia. 9. The Marsh Blue Violet is pollinated by our state insect and bumble bee nominee.

"I’m a constituent of Delegate Amanda E. Batten and Senator Ryan T. McDougle and I am asking for support on House Bill 517, which recognises the honey bee as the State Pollinator. I wonder how many of the opposition statements , siting "native" pollinators were submitted by Natives themselves? I support native and naturalised pollinators along with pollinator habitat enhancement, both native and naturalised, non-invasive species.

I am writing on behalf of the above Bill. I am one of a handful of Virginia State Beekeeper Association Master Beekeepers and a board member and honey bee educator with Richmond Beekeepers Association. I raise honeybee colonies for other beekeepers, harvest honey, and render wax for use and sale, but more importantly I help our membership and the general public understand the importance of honey bees and other pollinators and native pollinator plants in our local environment. Honey bees not only provide mankind with a delicious natural sweetener, but are singularly responsible for the pollination of fruits, nuts, berries, and cucurbits, that feed millions of Virginians every day while providing an income source to Virginia farmers, large and small. In some instances, like with California almonds, honey bees are the ONLY pollinator that makes the entire crop possible. In that state of Virginia, apples, strawberries, cucumbers, melons, peaches, squash, tomatoes and pumpkins are all reliant on honey bee pollination. Without it, Virginia would likely face a significant reduction in crop production, as large scale herbicide and pesticide use, combined with loss of natural forage, has greatly impacted the population of native pollinators. In my case, one of my apiaries is stationed on a parcel of land that is shared by a local small scale farmer. We share the space together and my bees pollinate his crops while also producing honey, both of which are sold at a local farmstand. This is the same symbiotic relationship that farms and beekeepers have had in Virginia for centuries. Sadly, at two other apiary locations nearby herbicide use caused the death of a half-dozen colonies. No doubt native pollinators were also affected. However, because native pollinators are not managed, that loss was undetected. In this situation--and countless others, honey bees are the bellwether that speak to us of the impact of environmental injury when native pollinators cannot. Honey bees have been of importance since their introduction at Jamestown in 1622 for use in producing wax for candle making, and continue today to be the single most important pollinator for farms and increasingly for the environment in general, as native pollinators like the Monarch butterfly, dwindle. It is important that honey bees be recognized for their place in our lives and livelihoods. I urge support HB 517, which recognizes the honey bee as the State Pollinator. Finally, for those who would characterize the European honey bee as an "invasive species" I would remind them to have a hard look at themselves in the mirror and remind themselves of the history of European (and non-European) immigration in the Americas before casting stones at a species that makes their very existance possible.

Comments Document

I fully support HB517 designating the European honey bee (Apis mellifera) as Virginia's official state pollinator. Although not native to Virginia, honey bees have been an integral part of Virginia's history since they arrived with the first European colonists around 1622. And we know that honey bees lived in North America long before that time, as a 14 million year old fossil was discovered in 2009 of a native North American honey bee (Apis nearctica) in the Stewart Valley basin in west-central Nevada. Agriculture is the largest private industry in Virginia, and honey bees are essential pollinators for about one-third of Virginia's fruit and vegetable crops. Native pollinators, while critical to our ecosystem, are simply not efficient or effective pollinators for managed crops. Honey bees, on the other hand, are the most important pollinators in agriculture because they are manageable, moveable, adaptable, and will not harm the plants in the pollination process. Designating the honey bee as Virginia’s official state pollinator will encourage a greater public awareness and education about the vital role that honey bees play in pollination and agriculture in our great Commonwealth. Honey bees are part of the spirit of Virginia, and I encourage all members of the General Assembly to support HB517.

I support HB-517. I've read the opposing opinions and wonder at the use of the word native. We consider the original colonist as native. The honeybee, (Apis Melifera), came to America at the same time, so I conclude they ARE a native species. Passing this legislation has no negative effects. It supports the practice of beekeeping and that is a good thing for the state agriculture and thereby or state economy. Support HB-517

The state pollinator should be the most important pollinator in the state, the honey bee. Where is native to Virginia a prerequisite for listing as a state emblem or designation? Foxhounds are not native. But, they were designated as the state dog. The non-native Chincoteague pony is the state pony. I’m pretty sure Shakespeare never set foot in Virginia. Yet we have a state festival honoring him. And the state fleet, I guess European ships qualify. Records of honey bees in Virginia date back over 400 years. Longer than Virginia has been a state. They predate nearly every family that calls Virginia home. They’ve been part of Virginia history nearly as long as the General Assembly. How long do they need to be here before some people accept that they are here to stay? Fossil records show a honey bee was in North America in the Neogene period, 14 million years ago. Hmm, maybe the honey bee is native to Virginia.

The Virginia state pollinator should be a Virginia native insect/animal. Why would we choose a European ANYthing to be a representative of our state? If that's not reason enough, many of our native bees are better pollinators than the honeybee (though less portable as they aren't in hives) they don't sting, and they are in grave danger of being displaced by the European honeybee. There is a lot of research supporting all of the above, which is easily accessible. I suggest the humble Common Eastern Bumblebee if you need an alternative.

I am opposed to the designation of the European honey bee as an official state symbol. It is an introduced species and is not unique to Virginia. Granted, honey bees do work for agriculture, but they are also undermining Virginia's ecosystems in several ways. Delegate Hope's efforts are misplaced. Del. Hope should not be shining a light on a species that is harming our ecosystem (and by extension, the climate as a whole), aids in the proliferation of invasive plants, and out competes native insects for resources (among other problems). Instead, Del. Hope should be doing more to promote education about nature, habitat restoration, and protection of native bees and other native insects, animals, plants, and forests. Environmental groups and volunteers around his district in Northern Virginia and state-wide are working hard to save the natural resources we have remaining. What Del. Hope is proposing is at cross purposes with those efforts. How is this action in the interest of the greater good when our ecosystems and climate are collapsing? Without intact ecosystems and a temperate climate, there will be no agriculture. It is therefore inappropriate to designate the European honey bee as our official pollinator.

I fully support this Bill. The European honey bee plays a crucial role in pollinating numerous plants, including many fruits and vegetables crucial to our diet. By recognizing this bee as the state pollinator, it raises public awareness about the importance of pollinators in our ecosystems. Bees contribute significantly to the economy through their pollination services, essential for agriculture and horticulture industries. Recognizing the European honey bee can highlight and support these economic benefits.

I whole heartedly support designating the Honey Bee as the State Pollinator. No other pollinator is found in more localities across the state, present year-round, or visiting more plants than the honey bee. Products of the hive from honey to wax to propolis to the bees themselves provide a sweetener, source of light, preservatives, medium for art, medicines, and FOOD. Let's not forget that before the honey bee arrived at Jamestown the colonists suffered from repeated famines and plagues. The success and prosperity of Virginia is closely tied to the diligent work of the honey bee.

I strongly oppose designating the EUROPEAN honey bee as the VA state pollinator. This bill has been offered before and wisely defeated. It should never have been offered and should be defeated again. The whole concept of designating a non-native species as a state emblem is inane. Will we make the Koala the VA state animal or the invasive European starling the VA state bird? European honeybees negatively impact our native bees and should not be celebrated. Please oppose this legislation.

Oppose enshrining an exotic European bee as a VA state mascot. While one appreciates the commercial contribution of managed European honey bees to crop and honey production, Virginia should use State status to celebrate and educate about native species. There are many natives which are excellent pollinators. The general public is less aware of our native bees, who, unlike their well known European cousins, don't have cereal boxes, and honey jar labels to shout their talents.

Comments Document

I am saddened by the reappearance of this effort to name an agriculturally useful but nonetheless exotic introduced insect as Virginia's 'official pollinator.' While the larger community of the Commonwealth's legislators may represent agricultural interests, it's time for conservation interests to be fully represented in our statehouse as well, and it's my hope that Delegate Hope will withdraw the bill in that vein, or amend the language to recognize it as "the official state honey producer," as one naturalist has suggested. If an 'official pollinator' for Virginia is to be designated, let's be sure it's appropriately native to Virginia! Most bumblebees, for example, also perform massive pollination services, many supporting agriculture as well.

Please OPPOSE HB517. When we celebrate official state mascots, we lift up and celebrate what is special about Virginia. Please let's celebrate what is unique and NATIVE to Virginia - and that is *not* the European Honeybee. Sadly, this non-native pollinator is the posterchild for pollination in our county, while our native bees, which are severely struggling and being hurt in part by honeybee populations, are pushed aside. The science is out there (and I've linked 5 of countless articles/papers about this at the end of my comments). Let's instead celebrate our NATIVE BEES! Leafcutter bees, mason bees, bumble bees - there are so many fun ones to choose from (https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/content/dam/pubs_ext_vt_edu/ENTO/ENTO-151/ENTO-424.pdf). -----Here are honeybee/native bee articles/papers as a reference -----(1) Honeybees disrupt the structure and functionality of plant-pollinator networks: March 2019: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-41271-5 -----(2) Pollination From Honeybees Could Make Plants Less Fit to Survive and Reproduce: July 2023: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/pollination-from-honeybees-could-make-plants-less-fit-to-survive-and-reproduce-180982467/ -----(3) Bumble bees have higher levels of disease pathogens in areas with higher numbers of managed honey bee hives: December 2020: https://www.psu.edu/news/research/story/study-bumble-bees-lacking-high-quality-habitat-have-higher-pathogen-loads/ -----(4) Honey bee introductions displace native bees and decrease pollination of a native wildflower: December 2022: https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ecy.3939 -----(5) Scientific American Opinion: The Problem with Honey Bees: They’re important for agriculture, but they’re not so good for the environment: November 2020: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-problem-with-honey-bees/ Please OPPOSE HB517.

The European honey bee is an introduced agricultural animal and should NOT be designated Virginia’s State Pollinator. There are many, many other wonderful bees and insects that are native to Virginia that would be better suited. The Commonwealth is rich in biodiversity and the choice in pollinator will bring positive attention and much-needed awareness to our natural heritage and little-known indigenous critters. Additionally, all the other state flora and fauna symbols (except the dog, of course) are native to Virginia. It would be in line with the other symbols if the state pollinator was also native. Did you know that in the Mid-Atlantic there are over 400 species of native bees? Most of them are generalists like the honey bee but it's estimated that about 30% of them are flower specialists, or specifically pollen specialists. These specialists are vital to pollinating the native plants they evolved with. They procreate at a low rate. It's no surprise then that honey bees, with a typical hive consisting of about 50,000 bees, can actually outcompete our native bees for food. They are also known to transmit diseases to other bees. Sam Droege, bee expert of the USGS, said in a recent lecture: “If you think that you are putting in hives because your garden needs honey bees for pollination or you're somehow doing the world a favor, you're not.” The National Park Service does not allow honey bee hives on their land; this is not by accident. There are many crops that native bees do a lot better job of pollinating than honey bees do. Honey bees are not able to pollinate tomato and eggplant flowers, for example, and do a less than stellar job with peppers, melons, pumpkins, cherries, blueberries, watermelon and cranberries. Our native bees are all doing valuable pollination work but they receive very little attention; they are the true bee's knees. And would make a better choice for Virginia State Pollinator than the introduced honey bee. As always, thank you for your time and consideration.

I hate to oppose something written by Delegate Hope but it leaves a rotten taste in my mouth to have a non-native species be our official state pollinator.

With respect to HB517, why would VIRGINIA want a EUROPEAN honeybee as its State Pollinator?! Supporting European honeybees means less support for our hardworking NATIVE bees. Please change your focus to a native bee like the Eastern Bumblebee (Bombus impatiens), which are excellent pollinators for produce as well as native plants. Mr. Hope, bumblebees love your zinnias, too! Thanks for the annual seeds! They beautify many gardens and landscapes.

I am a research scientist who lives and works in Loudoun county. I study plant-insect interactions and have a deep appreciation for the importance of planting native plants and curbing the hostile take-over of invasive species in our area. Based upon that expertise, I ask that you vote AGAINST HB 517, which would designate the European Honeybee as our state pollinator. This is a truly asinine idea and will make our state a laughingstock to anyone knowledgeable about invertebrate conservation. The honeybee is an imported farm animal. It is not native to Virginia. It spreads disease to our native pollinators. Designating the honeybee as our state pollinator is akin to designating the boiler chicken as our state bird. There are many species of bumblebee native to Virginia more in need of a conservation boost and who also provide more robust pollination services via buzz pollination.