This research examines how hobbyist beekeepers in Massachusetts view their practice as environmental stewardship, while highlighting potential conflicts between honey bee management and native pollinator conservation. The study reveals important tensions between individual environmental actions and broader ecosystem health. Impacts on everyday life: – Raises awareness about the complex relationships between managed honey bees and wild pollinators – Challenges common assumptions about beekeeping as universally beneficial for the environment – Highlights the importance of collaborative approaches to environmental conservation – Demonstrates how individual environmental actions can have unintended consequences – Shows the need to consider broader ecosystem impacts when pursuing environmental initiatives