Mounting evidence that managed and introduced bees have negative impacts on wild bees: an updated review
Iwasaki & Hogendoorn, 2022 · Systematic review
Reviews evidence on competition, pathogen transmission, and plant communities, finding growing evidence of negative effects of managed and introduced bees on wild bees.

Do managed bees have negative effects on wild bees?: A systematic review of the literature
Mallinger et al., 2017 · Systematic review
Reviews research on managed honey bees and bumble bees, finding frequent evidence of potential harm while highlighting gaps in studies measuring long-term effects on wild bee populations.

Honey bees

Decline in wild bee species richness associated with honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) abundance in an urban ecosystem
MacInnis et al., 2023 · Research study
A Montréal study found that greater honey bee abundance was associated with lower pollen availability and fewer wild bee species, particularly small-bodied species.

Gauging the Effect of Honey Bee Pollen Collection on Native Bee Communities
Cane & Tepedino, 2016 · Resource-use assessment
Estimates honey bee colonies’ pollen consumption in terms of the food needed to produce solitary bee offspring, providing a way to assess resource use rather than directly measuring wild bee losses.

Disease associations between honeybees and bumblebees as a threat to wild pollinators
Fürst et al., 2014 · Research study
Combines infection experiments and field surveys to investigate shared pathogens, identifying honey bees as a likely source of deformed wing virus infections in wild bumble bees.

A sting in the spit: widespread cross-infection of multiple RNA viruses across wild and managed bees
McMahon et al., 2015 · Research study
Found multiple honey bee-associated viruses in wild bumble bees and linked virus prevalence between the two groups, while noting uncertainty about the main direction of transmission.

Knock-on community impacts of a novel vector: spillover of emerging DWV-B from Varroa-infested honeybees to wild bumblebees
Manley et al., 2019 · Research study
Comparisons of island populations with and without Varroa mites showed how this honey bee parasite can increase deformed wing virus infections in both honey bees and nearby wild bumble bees.

An Overview of the Potential Impacts of Honey Bees to Native Bees, Plant Communities, and Ecosystems in Wild Landscapes: Recommendations for Land Managers
Hatfield et al., 2018 · Xerces Society management guidance
Summarizes potential ecological risks and provides considerations for deciding whether, where, and under what conditions honey bee hives should be placed in natural areas.

Commercial bumble bees

Plight of the bumble bee: Pathogen spillover from commercial to wild populations
Colla et al., 2006 · Research study
Found higher infection rates for two pathogens in wild bumble bees near commercial greenhouses in southern Ontario, consistent with spillover from commercial colonies.

An Evidence-based rationale for a North American commercial bumble bee clean stock certification program
Strange et al., 2023 · Management recommendations
Proposes a clean stock certification program and rearing practices to reduce pathogen risks from commercially produced bumble bees to wild pollinators.

Managed solitary bees, including mason bees

Mail-order solitary bee cocoons as a gateway for biological invasion
MacIvor & Irwin, 2025 · Opinion article
Examines how the online trade in solitary bee cocoons can introduce non-native species, parasites, and pathogens, and recommends measures to reduce these risks.