Citizens, Residents and Overstayers

Due to New Zealand’s isolation from other large land masses, its natural ecosystems develop in rather unique ways.

It is well known that the only native land mammals are a few bat species, but less well known is that New Zealand has no native
eusocial bees or wasps, and very few native ants or termites.

Humans have accidentally introduced 4 social wasp species and about 30 ant species.

Honeybees and four species of bumblebees were deliberately introduced to pollinate crops.

IMG_6714
Bumble Bee (Bombus terrestris) on Lavender, Lower Hutt, New Zealand

 

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