Bumblebees are returning to UK farms, thanks to farmers working with Syngenta to sow specially designed seed mixes aimed at restoring vital pollen and nectar-rich habitats.
Pollinating insects, such as bumblebees, are crucial for the success of many natural habitats and the production of food crops. More than 80% of European crop types are directly dependent upon insects for their pollination. Consequently it is estimated that pollinators are worth about £4.5 billion each year to European farmers.
However, numbers of pollinating insects have declined significantly across Europe in recent years. Over the last 40 years we have seen a 70% decline in bumblebee numbers. This is due to a loss of pollen and nectar as a food source, and a change in cropping patterns has meant a drop in available nesting sites. One of the 24 UK bee species’ has already disappeared, with three other species on the verge of extinction.
Operation Bumblebee was pioneered by a team at Syngenta, dedicated to restoring bumblebee habitats on Britain’s farms. The project works though the cultivation of pollinator crop margins on or near fields on commercial farms, providing bumblebees with the vital pollen and nectar they need. Farmers are provided with specially designed seed mixes to sow in these areas, as well as agricultural advice on how to achieve maximum environmental benefits while maintaining their own farming efficiency. With the help of Sainsbury’s (who joined the project in 2006) Syngenta was able to train over 150 of the supermarket’s UK farmers who supply fresh fruit and vegetables to their stores.
Over 570 farmers and growers are currently involved in the UK project, covering 1,100 hectares. The results so far have been remarkable – some areas seeing a 600% increase in bumblebee numbers, a 12 fold increase in butterflies, and more than a 10 fold increase in insects. It has also contributed to the regeneration of the rare bee species, Bombus ruderatus, previously on the verge of extinction.
Operation Bumblebee has been so successful, it has extended into 6 European countries this year – Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Germany and Hungary, known as Operation Pollinator. It will hopefully be extended to the USA in 2010. Operation Pollinator is also being developed in out-of-play areas on golf courses, boosting bumblebee numbers in amenity areas as well as on farmland and bringing the project closer to the general public. Overall Operation Bumblebee has shown that it is possible to deliver real environmental results without compromising farming efficiency & profitably in the most productive parts of the field.