Whether bees are protected is a common question…there’s much media hype about their importance within our ecosystem and their decline so it’s natural to expect that they would be a protected species. However, despite us already losing 13 types in recent years and another 35 being at risk, they’re not protected.
In the case of honeybees, their honeycomb is protected – it’s illegal to misuse insecticide spray on honeycomb in an attempt to kill honeybees. Misuse is classified as administering insecticide to kill bees without sealing off the entry/exit points of the space the comb is in. The reason for this law is to safeguard food sources – foraging bees from other colonies will steal honey from abandoned comb and if it’s been sprayed the chemicals will contaminate the previously healthy honey of those thieving bees which could be used as a human food source. In fact, there aren’t any insecticides approved for use on honeybees and there have been court cases where people have been fined up to £25,000 for this very act.
All 250 species of bees are vital for the preservation of our ecosystems and are responsible for pollinating three-quarters of plants that produce 90% of the world’s food. It would cost UK farmers £1.8bn per year to pollinate their crops using people instead of bees! Despite this, they’re in decline due to factors such as increased farming, more widespread use of pesticides, habitat loss (97% of flower-rich fields have been lost since the 1930s) and climate change.
Just recently the European Commission has voted in favour of a ban on the use of bee-harming neonicotinoids on all outdoor crops and the UK government are doing things to address the decline of Britain’s key pollinators, such as The National Pollinator Strategy, the 25 Year Environment Plan which encourages the minimisation of pesticides, and the “Bees’ Needs Week” in July. However, more needs to be done to reverse the decline of the bee population.
There are many websites, organisations and petitions focused on saving bees, for example, Save bees. Friends of the Earth has a campaign dedicated to it (friends of the earth), as does the Wildlife Trust (Wildlife trust) – you can find out more about how you can help on their websites.
Of the 250 bee species residing in the UK, 24 are bumblebees, there’s one honeybee species and the remainder are solitary bees. Other than supporting the campaigns above and signing petitions, there are many things that you can do to help bees which vary from species to species.
For solitary bees, building a bee hotel in a garden environment can provide a safe nesting and breeding site. Bumblebees, meanwhile, can be supported with the right choice of plants in a garden, such as high pollen flowers like sunflowers, lavender, foxgloves and even vegetable plants. Avoid rapeseed, as when its brief flowering period ends, it can lead to mass starvation.
Honeybees will also appreciate high pollen flowers but be warned, the products used to treat gardens can cause devastating effects. Homeowners should use organic products and natural alternatives – such as milk – where possible, rather than synthetic pesticides and plant treatments.
Of course, if you have an issue with bees in or around your property another way you can support the population is to ensure you employ an ethical company/person to remove the bees for you in an environmentally-friendly way. If you’re interested in finding out the cost of live bee removal see our article here: Beegone cost comparison
Beegone® specialises in the safe, environmentally friendly, live removal and rehoming of honeybee swarms and colonies, from structures or naturally occurring cavities. We cover the entire UK and have a team of trained and dedicated technicians ready to serve you.
Our aim is to educate people and businesses on honeybee identification and how to deal with them. We remove feral honeybees from structures, relocate them and prevent them from returning.
HEAD OFFICE:
Hivegrove, Kings Court,
Burrows Lane, Gomshall,
Guildford, Surrey, GU5 9QE
Phone: 01225 285 084
Email: [email protected]
HEAD OFFICE:
HIVEGROVE, Kings Court,
Burrows Ln, Gomshall,
Guildford, Surrey, GU5 9QE
Phone: 0800 9551 999
Email: [email protected]
