Sioux recently started beekeeping, believing it would help nature by supporting plant pollination. “In Eindhoven, I feel like I’m seeing fewer bees, bumblebees, or hoverflies”, Eric van de Leur says. Many people think keeping honeybees is a good idea, especially because it benefits plant pollination. But I soon noticed strong opposition as well: honeybees are a threat to wild bees. So, are we helping nature or not by keeping honeybees?
The relationship between honeybees and wild bees is complex. While honeybees significantly contribute to pollination, recent research shows that their presence can indeed have negative effects on wild bees and other pollinators.
Wild bees are bee species that, unlike honeybees, do not live in large colonies and are not kept by beekeepers. They usually live solitarily, meaning each female builds and maintains her own nest without the help of workers or a queen. In the Netherlands, there are more than 360 species of wild bees, including mason bees, mining bees, leafcutter bees, and bumblebees.
These wild bees are often specialized in certain plants and play a crucial role in pollinating wildflowers and crops. They nest in the ground, in hollow stems, in walls, or in dead wood. Because they depend so heavily on specific living conditions, they are especially vulnerable to changes in their environment.
Wild bees are threatened by a combination of factors that seriously jeopardize their survival:
In areas like the Biesbosch, it has been shown that large numbers of kept honeybees create excessive competition for wild bees, bumblebees, and hoverflies (Honeybees threaten wild bees). Beekeepers (whether or not illegal) place hundreds of hives near the Biesbosch in summer (in 2024: 1,589 hives), from which millions of honeybees enter the area—sometimes more than sixty million bees.
Research by the EIS Knowledge Centre in 2023 found that in August, the number of honeybees was one and a half times greater than all wild bees, hoverflies, and bumblebees combined.
While many wild bees only travel a few hundred meters—or even just a few dozen meters—from their nests, honeybees can travel kilometers. As a result, the millions of honeybees from hives outside the Biesbosch are present even in the heart of the area.
The same study states: “There’s nothing wrong with a hobbyist beekeeper placing a few hives in their garden.” “But the large scale on which it’s now happening in the Biesbosch—commercial companies from both the Netherlands and abroad placing hundreds of hives right next to the area—is causing too much damage. As it stands, it’s essentially comparable to intensive livestock farming.”
Honeybees are not inherently “bad” for wild bees, but their impact depends on how many are kept, at which location, and when. In vulnerable natural areas or regions with many rare wild bees, it’s better to be cautious about placing beehives. Promoting flower-rich landscapes and reducing pesticide use are crucial measures for all pollinators.
The situation regarding wild bees in Eindhoven is both concerning and hopeful. On the positive side, Eindhoven is still one of the bee-richest municipalities in the Netherlands, with no fewer than 154 different species of wild bees observed. This is partly thanks to bee-friendly management of public spaces, such as flower-rich verges, extensive mowing practices, and the creation of nesting opportunities. The municipality plays an active role in supporting biodiversity in the urban environment and is working toward a greener Eindhoven with more space for nature, both in green areas and residential neighborhoods. They connect green areas and maintain them more intelligently, creating more variety and space for flowers, insects, and other animals.
At the same time, there are clear signs of decline. A follow-up study in 2024 shows that the number of wild bees in Eindhoven is decreasing. The main causes are heat, drought, and a lack of sunny, flower-rich areas where bees can forage and nest. Climate change and urbanization exacerbate these problems, worsening living conditions for many species.
In short, Eindhoven has a strong foundation of wild bee species, but it is under pressure. Continued efforts in ecological green management, connecting habitats, and limiting competition with honeybees are essential to preserve these species.
In 2017, Ecologica conducted a study to identify important locations for wild bees and created a map to indicate where honeybee colonies could potentially be placed without significantly harming the city’s bee diversity.
The map below (Source: Raemakers & Faasen (2017, P29) shows where these “vulnerable” and potentially valuable habitats (in pink) for wild bees are located in the North of Eindhoven, and where our beehives are placed (green dot).
Another report shows that in the nearby nature areas Aanschotse Beemden and Boktse Beemden, relatively few wild bees live, likely because these areas consist largely of wet and moist grasslands and some sedge marshes. The vast majority of wild bee species prefer sunny, dry terrain, and about 70% of Dutch bee species nest in the ground. Ground-nesting bees struggle in wet soils.
Eindhoven has relatively a lot of green space (such as the Dommel Valley, Genneper Parks, and the Green Corridor), which benefits wild bees. The municipality plays an active role in supporting biodiversity. Sioux has placed its beehives at a sufficient distance from vulnerable wild bee habitats. By contributing to crop pollination, this also supports biodiversity, which can in turn benefit wild bees.
If beekeepers maintain good hygiene and monitor their colonies, it helps prevent the spread of diseases like viruses or fungi from honeybees to wild bees via shared flowers.
Everyone can contribute in surprisingly many ways to the conservation of wild bees, even in an urban environment like Eindhoven:
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Plant native flowers in your garden, balcony, or facade garden. Wild bees are often specialized in certain plant species, so variety and blooming throughout the season are important. Think of species like wild marjoram, catnip, poppy, and knapweed. |
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Avoid using pesticides or herbicides. These substances are often toxic to bees, even in small amounts. Choose natural methods to keep your garden healthy. |
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Provide nesting opportunities. Many wild bees nest in the ground or in hollow stems. Leave bare patches of sandy soil undisturbed, or place a high-quality bee hotel (with narrow, smooth tunnels 3–8 mm in diameter). |
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Help connect green spaces. If your neighbors also garden in a bee-friendly way, a network of food and nesting sites emerges. You can also join local initiatives like “tile out, plant in” or community gardens. |
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Finally, spread awareness. Informing others about the importance of wild bees and how easy it is to help increase the impact of your own efforts.
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“There’s something magical about opening a hive and seeing thousands of bees working in perfect harmony. It reminds me of well-run project teams—everyone has a role, and the result is greater than the sum of its parts.”
— Eric van de Leur, Operations Manager & Beekeeper