Wild Pollinator Welfare and Ecosystem Services

How wild bees, hoverflies, butterflies, and other pollinators are faring, the threats they face, and their welfare significance.

Key Facts

Wild bees include 270+ species in the UK ranging from bumblebees to solitary mining bees
Hoverflies are important pollinators whose larvae often control agricultural pests
Wildflower meadows have declined by 97% in the UK since the 1930s
Neonicotinoid pesticides persist in soil and affect bees foraging on treated and adjacent plants
Urban gardens are now among the most important habitats for some pollinator species

Welfare Considerations

Wild pollinator welfare and ecosystem function are deeply linked. Individual bees, hoverflies, and butterflies depend on flower-rich habitats for nutrition and nesting. Pesticide exposure impairs navigation and reproduction. Habitat loss reduces food availability to the point of nutritional stress for bumblebee colonies. The welfare significance of insects remains uncertain, but the scale of populations affected by habitat loss and pesticides - billions of individuals - and the behavioral evidence of pesticide harm suggest this welfare concern warrants serious attention. Supporting pollinators also supports the entire food web that depends on pollination services.

What You Can Do

Create diverse native wildflower habitats in gardens and green spaces
Avoid all neonicotinoid pesticides and minimize overall pesticide use
Support agri-environment schemes that fund wildflower strips and meadows
Advocate for pesticide regulation that genuinely protects pollinators
Participate in national pollinator monitoring programs