The Unwilding of Patagonia's Pollinators

Patagonia’s endangered giant bumblebee, Bombus dahlbomii, is disappearing as the European buff-tailed bumblebee, B. terrestris, spreads through Chile and Argentina. Farmers use the imported species to pollinate lucrative berries and other crops because bumblebees’ vibrations efficiently release pollen. But the commercial pollinator competes with the native bee for food and nesting sites and carries unfamiliar parasites, fungi, and viruses. Once common in flower-rich meadows, B. dahlbomii had declined by more than half by 2016; some estimates now put its losses at 90 percent. In berry fields, imported bees work from commercial hives, while abandoned boxes can help them establish wild colonies.

Chile began importing B. terrestris in 1997, then allowed use beyond greenhouses; the bees have since spread into Argentina, which prohibits imports, advancing about 200 kilometers a year. Researchers warned of displacement and disease, and a Chilean legal complaint alleging unlawful importation was dismissed because the judge considered the alleged offense too old, despite continued imports. Tighter sanitary rules introduced in 2020 have not stopped infected bees from arriving or undone earlier damage. Scientists argue that importing European pollinators was unnecessary: Chile has native species capable of matching or outperforming them, and investment in native-bee breeding and habitat could support farming without undermining local ecosystems. The case illustrates how short-term agricultural gains and weak oversight can transform a region’s ecology.