Farm conservation boosts bee numbers

Conservation efforts by farmers have helped honeybee populations fight back, new evidence suggests.

Research shows honeybee colonies increased by 50% in the six months to October, reflecting the positive measures taken by farmers and beekeepers alike.

A survey by the British Beekeepers Association revealed that the number of colonies rose from 80,000 in March to 120,000 in October, with amateur beekeepers producing more than a third of all the nation’s home-produced honey. On average, each hive produced 32lb of honey, worth £130 to the beekeeper, but providing an estimated £600 to the agricultural economy through pollination value. With about 270,000 hives in the UK, that equated to £200m in agricultural value, said BBKA president Martin Smith.

Membership of the BBKA had almost doubled over the past three years, to almost 20,000, reflecting the huge public interest in bees, he added. “The test of whether beekeeping in the UK is still improving, however, will come when we survey the number of hives which survive the coming winter.”

Normal winter losses ranged from 5% to 10%, said general secretary Tim Lovett. But the past two years had suffered losses of 30% and 20%, respectively. “The number one factor is disease, which we have inadequate means of treating, and which can be made worse by damp weather.”

However, more careful use of pesticides, and the sowing of wildflower mixes, may also have helped, said farming experts. Syngenta’s Operation Pollinator and its predecessor Operation Bumblebee encouraged planting of pollen and nectar rich habitat across the UK and 13 other European countries, said agri-environment manager Geoff Coates. “Without pollinators 80% of our crop types wouldn’t produce food or seed for the next generation of crops.”

The Voluntary Initiative had promoted greater awareness and protection of the environment when using pesticides, said Paul Chambers at the NFU. And the Campaign for the Farmed Environment, as well as options in environmental stewardship schemes, also played an important role in providing suitable habitat for bees and other insects.

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