On Thursday, the Scottish Parliament will be debating the drop in numbers of pollinating insects, which is occurring across the Northern Hemisphere. The trust said, "We hope that the debate sparks action from Scottish Government to halt the decline of wild pollinators across Scotland's landscapes," adding that "The main threats to wild pollinators, such as bumblebees, hoverflies and butterflies, come from a combination of factors such as agricultural intensification, habitat loss, and use of pesticides such as neonicotinoids."

The Scottish government has said it is keen to take a precautionary approach to pollinator decline. The Trust said bumblebees have suffered a 60 percent decline in the last 50 years, and that other key pollinators such as butterflies have also been hit hard.

These creatures are vital to maintaining the country's biodiversity, and experts have said they are a good indicator of an ecosystem's health – meaning their decline should send a worrying signal.

Making recommendations to MSPs ahead of Thursday's debate, the Trust called for an outright ban on neonicotinoid pesticides, which have been linked to health impacts on pollinators and implicated in some aspects of declines, such as colony collapse disorder in bees.

Though agricultural use of three neonoicotinoids has been restricted in the EU, the UK government has questioned the weight of evidence behind the 'partial ban' and declined to conduct monitoring or ban gardening products containing the compounds, in line with the EU Commission's recommendations. The Trust said on Wednesday that "There is growing evidence that neonicotinoids are incredibly harmful to bumblebee and honeybee populations. In order to stop their impact, a total ban on this group of pesticides is essential."

It also called on the Scottish government to support research into low-input agriculture systems and introduce pollinator plans as part of forthcoming agri-environment schemes.

Head of Policy for Scottish Wildlife Trust, Dr Maggie Keegan, commented, "The debate on pollinators is extremely timely and reflects the public's increasing concern over the plight of bumblebees and honeybees. The Trust believes the decline in wild pollinators and honeybees may act like the 'canary in the mine' – indicating that Scotland's landscapes and ecosystems are not being managed sustainably.

"Everyone can do their bit to help these wonderful creatures recover… but it is vital we tackle this issue at the landscape-scale to create a 'nectar network' across Scotland," such as the Trust has been working to create along the Ayrshire coast between Troon and Irvine.

"The Trust hopes this debate converts words into action from the Scottish Government. At the very least, the Trust would like to see the Scottish Government commit to banning harmful pesticides such as neonicotinoids outright and supporting research into pollinators and low-pesticide farming systems."