Islands are rife with introduced bee species. This may be due to factors such as low resistance to invasive species introductions and high resource availability.  At least 80 species of bees have been introduced into island ecosystems and species from the Genera Bombus and Apis are often most featured. Invasive honeybees negatively impact native bees for several reasons.

Firstly, they deplete pollen and nectar resources, making it harder for native bees to find food resources. Secondly, Honeybees can spread pathogens and parasites to native bees. In the West Indies, ecto-parasites such as Varroa destructor, and other parasites such as Nosema apis and Nosema ceranae have been observed in European Honeybee colonies.

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European Honeybees have caused the death of at least one person and several pets in The Bahamas and injured others, with a few persons needing hospital treatment.

With the rising interest in beekeeping, private apiaries have been increasing in The Bahamas, and while we understand the importance of honeybees, this hobby and or business must be monitored and regulated properly. This observation has important negative consequences because when bees swarm, they often end up in places where they can become a potential hazard to persons, such as in roofs, meter boxes, or cracks in the walls of residences. Removing beehives can also be an expensive process,  sometimes costing hundreds of dollars for the unfortunate homeowner.

They also pose a serious safety risk for persons whose vocations involve field work, as was evidenced in 2019 when a team of Bahamian biologists, conducting field work in dense coppice and pine ecosystems in East Grand Bahama were attacked by European honeybees, resulting in one member of the team  having to be taken to the hospital for injuries.

Feral European honeybee hives have been found in solution holes in South Eleuthera, Grand Bahama, New Providence, Eleuthera, and Abaco.