Report warns of dozens of new manmade threats to bees

By Stephen Beech

Bees are facing severe new manmade threats that are putting their and our survival at risk, warns a new report.

Wars, microplastics and light pollution pose "serious" risks to bees and other pollinators over the next decade, according to the dossier published on World Bee Day.

The report from Bee:wild, a new science-led global campaign to save pollinators, identifies the top dozen emerging threats that could accelerate pollinator losses within the next five to 15 years, according to 10 of the world’s leading experts.

The report also outlines steps that can be taken to protect pollinators and reverse the decline.

Pollinators - such as bees, butterflies, some birds and bats - are vital to nature and our food supply, with almost 90% of flowering plants and more than three-quarters of the world’s staple crops depending on them.

But pesticides, habitat loss,, climate change and invasive species have caused severe decline in their numbers, including the extinction of some bee species.

A wave of new threats is adding further pressure, warns the report.

These include:

• War and conflict, including the war in Ukraine, forcing countries to grow fewer crop types and leaving pollinators without diverse food throughout the season.
• Microplastic particles are contaminating beehives across Europe, with testing from 315 honey bee colonies revealing synthetic materials in most hives.
• Artificial light at night reduces flower visits by nocturnal pollinators by 62%, and inhibits the crucial role moths and night insects play in pollination.
• antibiotic pollution potentially contaminating beehives and honey, and affecting the behaviour of pollinators, such as reducing their foraging and visits to flowers.
• Air pollution is affecting their survival, reproduction and growth.
• Pesticide cocktails are weakening pollinators who increasingly face a dangerous mix of different pesticides, particularly in developing countries.
• more frequent and larger wildfires, destroying habitats and making recovery harder.

Report lead author Professor Simon Potts, of Reading University, said: “Identifying new threats and finding ways to protect pollinators early is key to preventing further major declines."

Potts, who is also chair of Bee:wild’s Scientific Advisory Board, added: “By acting early, we can reduce harm and help pollinators continue their important work in nature and food production.

"Various conservation opportunities already exist and more are emerging.

"This is not just a conservation issue. Pollinators are central to our food systems, climate resilience, and economic security. Protecting pollinators means protecting ourselves.”

The report also outlines some threats that unintentionally stem from climate actions, which could be improved to protect biodiversity at the same time.

The report says planting a mix of flowering trees as well as non-flowering fast-growing trees for carbon capture would restore pollination opportunities.

Avoiding pollinator-rich areas and restoring habitats after mining for car battery materials would also help reduce the impact of mining in the long term.

Those measures are among 12 that the report outlines for pollinator protection.

The top five are:

• Stronger laws limiting antibiotic pollution that harms bee health.
• Transitioning to electric vehicles to reduce air pollution affecting pollinators.
• Breeding crops with enhanced pollen and nectar for better pollinator nutrition.
• Creating flower-rich habitats within solar parks.
• Developing RNAi-based (Ribonucleic acid) treatments that target pests without harming beneficial insects.

Protecting stingless bees - which are important for pollination in the tropics - by creating urban gardens, rewilding and protecting natural habitats is another solution.

Report co-author Dr. Deepa Senapathi said: “Meaningful action to protect bees is not a 'nice-to-have' future aspiration - practical solutions that we can implement now already exist and more are emerging.

"The most promising opportunities are ones that tackle multiple problems at once.

"Focused and determined action could significantly slow and even reverse pollinator decline while creating environments that benefit both nature and people."

She added: “It will take effort from everyone to address these threats.

"We need to maintain, manage and improve our natural habitats to create safe spaces for pollinators.

"Individual actions like providing food and nesting areas in our own back gardens can help in a big way.

"But policy changes and individual actions must work together so everything from gardens and farms to public spaces and wider landscapes can all become pollinator-friendly habitats.”

Eva Kruse, executive director of Bee:wild, which commissioned the report said: “We were already sounding the alarm on the decline of our pollinators, but this new report underlines that the range of threats are expanding.

"Rather than being filled with hopelessness, the purpose of the Bee:wild campaign is to fuel awareness, urgency and give everyone agency.

"There’s a lot we can all do to help save our pollinators, in our homes and everyday lives.

"Planting flowering plants to feed them, providing outdoor shelter and considering healthier diets like plant-based as well as pesticide-free, all matter a lot."

She added: “It’s getting harder for our pollinators but we can all play a part in protecting them and building a sustainable future for all living things.”

Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, President of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), said: "The choices we make today will shape the future - not only for pollinators, but for all life on Earth.

"Together, we can ensure that these remarkable species continue their vital work, sustaining the natural world that sustains us all.”