Kansas is a historically biologically rich state within the United States. In the year 1976 Kansas students created a petition to have honey bees (a non-native honey producing insect, Apis mellifera) added to the list of the Kansas state insect. Honey bees were introduced to the state in the early 1800’s for honey production by European settlers. There are numerous other insects that are native to Kansas and offer numerous other indirect ecosystem services beyond the direct exchange of honey as seen with honey bees.

 Many native forbs rely on native insects to pollinate them as the insects are specialized to pollinate a specific set of species. Honey bees cannot be interchanged for these skillsets. It is a great disservice to the native fauna to praise a recent inhabitant over the species that the great plains relied upon. The time is now to give neglected and overlooked species their moment of recognition for the important work they do.