Wild bees — which include over 250 species in the UK and 20,000 worldwide — depend on nesting habitat that has been dramatically reduced by land use change, making gardens and urban spaces critical for their welfare and survival.
Wild bees are experiencing welfare and population declines driven primarily by habitat loss, pesticide exposure, and disease. Unlike managed honeybee colonies, which receive some human care, wild solitary and bumblebee species must find and provision their own nesting sites and forage entirely independently. Individual welfare is most directly affected by pesticide poisoning — which can cause sublethal effects including impaired navigation, reduced reproductive success, and immune compromise — and by the inability to find suitable nesting sites in heavily managed landscapes. Gardens represent a significant and often underused opportunity: collectively, private gardens cover more land than all UK nature reserves combined. Reducing pesticide use, allowing some bare ground for nesting, planting native flower species, and reducing mowing frequency are all accessible welfare and conservation interventions.