Honey bees on public land: How experimentally-induced honey bee pressure in a public forest impacts native bee interactions

European honey bees (Apis mellifera) are commonly used in United States agriculture, but their influence on native bees is not well understood. Many commercial beekeepers rotate their hives among different farms, but between these crop cycles, a constant supply of nectar is required for hives to continue to produce honey. Some beekeepers turn to public lands, permitted by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), to sustain their hives for weeks at a time. In Colorado, where feral honey bee colonies rarely establish, these introductions may impose novel ecological pressures on native bees. In this study, we examine how short-term honey bee introductions impact native bee diversity and foraging habits using a Before-After-Control-Impact (BACI) approach. In collaboration with local beekeepers and the USFS in Colorado’s Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests, we surveyed 18 sites during the summers of 2024 and 2025, introducing honey bees to 9 sites during June 2025. To assess shifts in resource use prompted by honey bee introduction, we measured bee-floral interactions before, during, and after honey bee deployment. We present preliminary findings to inform future USFS management and policy decisions regarding honey bee grazing on public lands.