Look after those bees.

Hey Tabsey,

If the work of bees is to pollinate and hence proliferate diversity of vegetation, does it matter whether they are European bees or Asian bees? Just wondering... and what about Australia's own native bees? How do they figure in the equation?

Agree about diversity but the Asian bees carry mites. There are no reported problems regarding the local and European bees. Wasps have caused problems for the European bees. And I think those were accidentally imported.
If you ask people they will tell you bees are for honey, probably due to fears developed when the "birds and the bess" were being discussed. Pollination is a dirty word.

Could you elaborate about the mites please?

Little spider like bugs that carry disease. They live on some creatures as parasites. Will move to other creatures with no resistance to the mites or what they are carrying.
Bed bugs are another type that you may have met in motels. (These are actually trained by the moral right to attack at the first hint of sex )
This site has a little info http://www.ento.csiro.au/education/allies/acarina.htm

thanks for the info.