Researchers at Reading University, contributing to the EU Status and Trends of European Pollinators project have suggested that the vital contribution insect pollinators make to agriculture in Europe is being dangerously underestimated. STEP has launched an information sheet and public opinion questionnaires aimed at farmers in a bid to address this.

Despite the increased interest in pollinators, especially bees, numbers of which are decreasing across Europe, Reading University researchers have said action needs to be taken to increase public participation and discussion on the issue.

In May, the university’s researchers collaborated with environmental organisation Friends of the Earth, which revealed the role insect pollinators play in Europe had been grossly underestimated. They revealed the loss of such pollinators would cost the UK £1.8 billion each year, a figure 20 per cent higher than previously estimated.

An estimated 84 per cent of European food crops are partially or entirely dependent on insect pollination. Reading scientists today said, “The serious decline in the number of managed honeybees and wild bees reported in Europe over the last few decades has the potential to cause yield decreases with threats to the environment and economy of Europe. Therefore, effective actions for the mitigation of the pollinator declines need to be taken across Europe.”

They said that, although honeybees are important pollinators, other insects including wild bees, wasps and butterflies “are essential to provide optimal pollination,” supporting farm productivity when honeybee numbers are too low or when adverse weather prevents them from flying. It has been demonstrated that wild bees are more efficient at pollinating a number of crops than domesticated honeybees, such as mason bees on apples and bumblebees on beans.

STEP releases information for European farmersimage expired

To raise awareness among farmers of the importance of wild pollinators, the EC FP7 project STEP – 'Status and Trends of European Pollinators' published a farmers' factsheet in 15 European languages. The factsheet encourages farmers to utilise the benefits of wild insect pollination services, and thus reduce the risks of relying on the honeybee as a single species for crop production. Farmers are encouraged to take actions to protect pollinators by selecting appropriate agri-environmental schemes and modifying agricultural practices to become more pollinator friendly.

The STEP project is also undertaking a broad-scale survey of the public opinion through online questionnaires available in seven European languages. The survey aims to reveal if, and to what extent, people are aware of the role of pollinators in agricultural ecosystems and the consequences for the environment from the decline of bees and other insect pollinators. Respondents to the surveys are being asked to give their opinion on the importance of insect pollination for agriculture and to share their perception on the status of pollinators in Europe, their importance for public health, wildlife and the European economy and how important they believe this issue to be.

Backed by research from the University of Reading, Friends of the Earth has called on the Westminster government to produce a ‘bee action plan’ and make considerations of vital insect pollinators integral to decisions affecting agricultural and environmental regulations and planning legislation. In July, Welsh Environment Minister John Griffiths announced the Welsh government would introduce a ‘pollinator plan’ to protect the important insects.

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