Loss of Meadows & Wildflowers Impacting Bee Population
It is thought that 95% of meadows during the twentieth century have been destroyed. Protection of unspoiled habitat is a pressing issue in 2021, as well as re-creating future grassland habitats.
Meadows contain some of the UK’s richest grassland flora; however, some grassland types have declined severely during the 20th century nationwide, and are now rarely found.
Wildflower meadows provide shelter and food for important pollinators including bees. There are over 250 species of bee in the UK and they play a vital part in supporting the ecosystem.
When wild flower meadows vanish so do our furry pollinator friends.
Bees are in particular decline in the UK. Wildflower meadows are extremely diverse habitats, with a huge variety of flowers; ideal for bees. But since their decline, some species of bee have completely vanished or evolved to only eat a limited number of pollens and too much competition for food sources inevitably causes bee populations to reduce
Improved habitats moving forward will be vital to protect the UK bee population.
World Bee Day – celebrated annually on 20 May – is a day adopted by the United Nations from the Slovenian Beekeepers Association to raise awareness of the importance of protecting and preserving bees and other pollinators. It honours not just honeybees, but bumblebees (of which there are 21 species) and the 77 species of solitary bees, too.
No life without bees
In addition to being one of the major pollinators, thus ensuring food and food security, sustainable agriculture and biodiversity, bees significantly contribute to the mitigation of climate change and environmental conservation. In the long-term, the protection of bees and the beekeeping sector can help reduce poverty and hunger, as well as preserve a healthy environment and biodiversity. Scientific studies have proven that bees have become increasingly endangered. It is only through joint efforts that we can ensure the protection of bees and their habitats.
Habitat loss is a serious threat to bees and we can’t afford to ignore it. It will be hard to stop all commercial developments, but projecting our countryside and green belts from urbanisation is important.
What can you do to help?
Planting wildflowers and other plants which are native to a bees natural environment, even if in an urban area, can help provide bees with desperately needed food and shelter.
You can do this domestically in your garden, or commercially Wildflower Seeding is popular for businesses looking to increase biodiversity or add a spectacular array of colour, shape and tone to their landscape and provides a wonderful habitat creation for the local wildlife.