Flowers pollinated by honeybees make lower-quality seeds

A new study emphasizes the importance of conserving wild, native insects too

A photo of a honeybee sitting sitting on a white sage plant.

In San Diego County, honeybees are the main visitors of the native white sage plant (shown). The bees visit many flowers on the same plant, depositing more of its pollen back on itself and possibly lowering seed quality.

D. Travis

Flowers pollinated by honeybees make fewer and lower-quality seeds than flowers visited by other pollinators.