The issue

Honeybees are considered the most important insects in our ecosystem. They are integral to Australian agriculture because pollination from bees is required for nearly two-thirds of Australian food production and for increased plant biodiversity. Plant biodiversity contributes to positive outcomes such as soil and water retention, local area cooling and carbon sinks. So bees provide a key ecosystem service and fall into the rare category of being an exotic species that provides significant benefits to their local environment. But internationally, bees are in drastic decline, with whole populations being destroyed overnight as a result of introduced threats, such as pesticides.