Honey Bee on ʻōhiʻa lehua — Apis mellifera on Metrosideros polymorpha

A non-native honey bee (Apis mellifera) gathers nectar from the bright crimson blossoms of the native ʻōhiʻa lehua (Metrosideros polymorpha), one of Hawaiʻi’s most ecologically and culturally significant trees. Though ʻōhiʻa evolved with native pollinators like honeycreepers, introduced bees now play a role in pollination—bringing both benefits and potential disruption to native ecosystems.