A failed invasion
Dr Tom Ings from School of Biological and Chemical Scinces has written on the practice of importing bees to countries where they are not a native species, to assist in commercial crop growing. Alien species can cause problems if they monopolise the food and habitats of those that are indigenous. Together with Pierre Rasmont he has monitored bees in France over several years, finding clear evidence that imported bees had escaped to the wild, bred and established colonies. When they looked again six years later, there was no sign of them, suggesting they had bred with native bees and produced hybrids. This story has been published in the winter edition of Planet Earth magazine.