Native bee populations are declining worldwide due to pesticide exposure, habitat loss, and disease, with potential welfare and ecological consequences.
Bumblebees exposed to sub-lethal pesticide doses show impaired learning, reduced foraging efficiency, and cognitive bias changes consistent with negative affective states. Colonies exposed to neonicotinoids show reduced reproduction and foraging success. Whether these represent welfare-relevant suffering remains scientifically contested, but the evidence of cognitive disruption in a sentient-capable group warrants attention.