Dear Russ and other BEE-Lers,

The honey bee is an amazing insect and one that has great economic value. However, in a nation that has an immensely rich and diverse insect community, it seems a terrible shame to have a non-native species as the national insect. If a single species is to be chosen as a representative of the USA, should it really have "European" in its name? Or "Africanized"? There are may spectacular native bees that would be fine national insects, although few have the cosmopolitan spread of the honey bee.

A number of years ago there was an attempt to make the monarch butterfly the national insect. That would also be a good candidate.

Best wishes,
    Matthew
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Matthew Shepherd, Pollinator Conservation Program Director
The Xerces Society
4828 SE Hawthorne Boulevard, Portland, OR 97215, USA
Tel: 503-232 6639 Fax: 503-233 6794
Email: [log in to unmask]
______________________________________________________
The Xerces Society is a nonprofit organization
dedicated to protecting the diversity of life
through the conservation of invertebrates.

For information and membership details,
see our website at www.xerces.org
______________________________________________________

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