Seeing Crimson

Forest and Bird, Issue 291, 1 February 1999, Page 7

Seeing Crimson

Invercargill

Eric Edwards,

Two years ago I was startled and affronted to see on a Project Crimson poster the introduced honey bee Apis mellifera being celebrated. Publicity has continued and now includes bumble bees (Bombus spp.). Both kinds of bee are naturalized in New Zealand and are native to Europe and there is no doubt we should celebrate them — I rate them as icons, alongside the brown trout and sheep, as adding significantly to the well-being of New Zealanders. The genus Metrosideros (including rata and pohutukawa) occurs right across the Pacific and honey bees are probably important pollinators in all places metrosideros occurs. However, wherever metrosideros are found there are honeyeater birds equivalent to our bellbird, tui and stitchbird. These species, or their sorry plight, are more deserving of attention. The more humble pollinators such as gecko, native bees (Leioproctus spp.), flies and beetles have sadly

failed to be photogenic. Perhaps the concept of ‘natural ecosystem integrity’ could do with a little help to prove as successful as Project Crimson’s objective of species restoration. Since honeybees are so accepted in New Zealand, perhaps there will come a time when a small number of possums will be seen as adding significant charm to our rata forests.