Wild Pollinators Beyond Honeybees

Conservation attention focused on honeybees misses the broader pollinator welfare picture — over 20,000 wild bee species and thousands of flies, butterflies, moths, and beetles are declining alongside managed honeybees.

Key Facts

Wild bees provide approximately 80% of wild plant pollination globally — they are not replaceable by managed honeybees
Solitary bee species including mining bees, mason bees, and leafcutter bees each have specific habitat requirements
Hoverflies are important pollinators often overlooked because they resemble wasps or bees
Butterfly and moth populations have declined by up to 50% in many European countries since the 1970s
Night-flying moths pollinate plants that bees cannot reach due to their diurnal activity patterns
The collapse of wild pollinator diversity reduces ecosystem resilience even when honeybee colonies are maintained

Welfare Considerations

Wild pollinator welfare is an ecological welfare problem that extends far beyond the honeybee narrative that dominates public attention. Solitary bees, hoverflies, beetles, butterflies, and moths are individually capable of something like suffering — they respond to noxious stimuli and have survival-relevant behavioral responses. But their welfare is primarily a population and ecosystem concern: the loss of wild pollinator diversity degrades ecological function that supports the welfare of all animals dependent on plant communities, including humans. Conservation action that targets diverse pollinator habitat provision — rather than installing more honeybee hives — has greater ecological and welfare impact.

What You Can Do

Plant diverse native flowering plants rather than exotic hybrids that lack nectar and pollen
Provide nesting habitat for solitary bees including bare soil, hollow stems, and wood cavities
Avoid pesticide use and support pesticide-reduction policies in agriculture
Reduce outdoor lighting that disrupts night-pollinating moths
Support landscape management that creates pollinator corridors connecting wildlife habitats