Where Have All The Bees Gone?

Pollinators are in severe decline writes Tony Jackson, but Somerset Wildlife Trust is on the case

- Tony Jackson

A new report, Insect Declines and Why They Matter, commissioned by Wildlife Trusts in the South West, reveals a drastic decline in insect numbers, a scenario which could have severe consequences for people and wildlife. However, as well as exposing the drastic nature of the decline, the report also highlights the action that needs to be taken to reverse the current trend.

I have always taken an interest in insect life and have been shocked by the loss of so many pollinators which were once taken for granted. The simple fact is that a staggering number of these essential pollinators are free-fall world-wide and if this trend is not halted terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems will collapse, with severe consequences for humans and the planet. In the UK numbers of butterflies fell by 46 per cent between 1976 and 2017, there has been a 40 per cent loss of larger garden moths in southern England, while a third of our bees are in decline.

The cause for this appalling situation is largely down to habitat loss and the widespread use of pesticides. Over the past century, natural and semi-natural habitats have been cleared for farming and building so that important insect populations only exist in fragmented pockets, while around 17,000 tons of pesticides are spread across the land each year. Whilst this is mostly associated with intensive farming, a wide range of fungicides, pesticides, and herbicides are also available for domestic garden use. In addition, 97 percent of lowland meadows were lost between 1930 and 1980, as well as thousands of hedgerows and field margins, all of which helped sustain pollinators.