Of course the bee can make honey off of it,I'm  guessing as you said ,has to do with the nectar level ?? even if an educated person says it can't. Just because and entomologist or biologist  says it not the proper bee. 
Tell that to the tens of thousands of hives rented for blueberry pollination, a bumble bee has a longer tongue and is ideal for those, but bees get the job done by having shear numbers far above any placement of bumble bees could do and be managed, and hungry  beekeepers wanting to rent them.
 
I think the general public is smart enough to notice a bee as a bee and are far more aware of bees, bee problems and beekeepers since all the news reports in 06/07  about CCD
 
  		 	   		  
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