Why bees need our help

Bumblebees are mainly under threat because of changes to the countryside in the UK. Changes in agricultural techniques have meant that there are far fewer wildflowers in the landscape than there used to be, meaning that many of our bumblebee species are struggling to survive.

The dramatic decline in populations of most species, and the extinction of two species in the UK, show that something needs to be done.

Causes of bumblebee declines
When we think of the British countryside, we often think of rolling green fields with crops or livestock. However, it wasn’t always this way. Until relatively recently, the British landscape was much more colourful. The fields had many more wildflowers, and these supported a much greater diversity of wildlife.

However, technology and demand for increased food production meant that traditional agricultural practises were abandoned in favour of techniques which increased productivity but ultimately reduced the abundance of wildflowers in the countryside. Indeed, it has been estimated that we have lost 97% of our flower-rich grassland since the 1930s. As bees rely entirely upon flowers for food, it is unsurprising that their populations began to rapidly decline in most places.

The result of this has been that two species have become extinct in the UK since the start of the 21st century:

  • Cullem’s bumblebee (Bombus cullumanus), was last recorded in 1941.
  • The Short-haired bumblebee (Bombus subterraneus), was last recorded in 1988.

Both of these species are still found in Europe, but the British populations may have been specially adapted to our climate and environment. Sadly, several other bumblebee species are in trouble, and could become extinct in the UK within a short time. Two species in particular, the Great yellow bumblebee and the Shrill carder bee, are now only present in small numbers.

Impact of bumblebee declines


What can be done?
Fortunately, there is much that can be done to benefit bumblebees. At the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, we work to raise awareness of the plight of the bumblebee amongst the general public. In particular, we help our members by providing information about bumblebees, as well as newsletters with information and advice about the latest happenings in the bumblebee world. To become a member, visit our membership page.

In areas where the rarest species are hanging on, we have been working with farmers who are farming in ways that are sympathetic to bumblebees. Some farmers have made a few simple changes to their techniques, which have meant more flowers blooming, and bumblebee populations recovering in some areas. If you are a farmer or land manager, have a look at our pages on Managing land for bumblebees to see what you can do.

It is also possible for individuals and other groups to help bumblebees in their own communities. Perhaps the simplest thing to do is to plant some bee-friendly plants in your garden. This is explained more extensively in our section on Gardening for bumblebees. As gardens cover over one million acres in the UK, this presents a great opportunity to provide food for bumblebees. By using this space more effectively, we hope that everyone can get involved in making the landscape more friendly to bumblebees and help reverse the declines we have seen.

People can also get involved in survey work. By doing this, we can see what bumblebees are present around the country, and how their distributions change over time. By monitoring the species like this, we can detect warning signs and take action to help.


David Attenborough

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