There is a large variance in reporting on the importance of honeybees. I've seen estimates as extreme as "without the bees most crops will fail," and "its not a big deal, other insects pollinate everything bees do," and everything in between.
Is this the result of sensationalist reporting or disagreement in the field?
Commercially, honeybees are essential. There are no other insects which can be so easily harnessed for huge-scale pollination. Without bees, crops would still be pollinated by other insects, but not nearly in the amount needed to sustain current levels of production (and therefore human life).
Is this the result of sensationalist reporting or disagreement in the field?