First of all we need to identify how bad the situation is, we know it is happening, but we are finding it difficult to quantify the impact for growers.

The EU sponsored ALARM (Assessing LArge scale Risks for biodiversity with tested Methods) project has placed the reduction of pollinators at approximately 30% over the last 10 years in places where data exists.  A recent study conducted across the UK and the Netherlands has shown alarming reductions in both pollinators and plant diversity. This data however is patchy and there is real concern that the rates of decline are accelerating.  Currently honey and bumblebees are receiving considerable media coverage, in particular the impact of pesticides on bee populations.  It seems that the other 240 odd species of native bee have just been forgotten.  In all honesty, honeybees are almost regarded as a domestic animal, and supplies could be shipped in from abroad if they ever looked like disappearing completely from the shores of the UK. 

By focussing only on the problems of honeybees, there is a real danger of losing perspective on the potential of some of the other bees, most of which are considerably more effective at pollination than honeybees.  Studies in the US on the Osmia family of solitary bees has indicated that they are at least 26 times more effective at viable pollen transfer than honey bees, with some species as much as 120 times more effective.  The commercial impact of a decline in pollinators is exceedingly difficult to quantify, but an example of possible consequences can be illustrated by the value of pollinators in agriculture – approximately $200 billion (Richards, 1993).  Top and soft fruit crops are vulnerable, as good pollination has a direct impact on both yield and quality, and with apples may have a direct influence on both storage life and sugar content.    

Kent based apple-marketing company Norman Collett is already one step ahead of the opposition, having participated in small-scale field trials to utilise the Red Mason Bee (Osmia rufa rufa) in a working orchard environment pollinating both apples and cherries.  Technical Director Nigel Jenner said: “This is the most exciting development in optimising crop yield that we have seen for a long time.”

The Red Mason Bee is potentially the best candidate to supplement declining honeybee populations, with considerable work already having been done on the biology of the bee, propagation of captive populations and working delivery systems   

Certainly the cherry trees in the orchard have seen the benefit of a specialised pollen-collecting bee, with fabulous crop synchronicity.  This is probably the area where the greatest impact will be noticed, reducing the number of picking cycles, whilst increasing the yield overall. 

One area that has to receive research attention in the near future is the fragile relationship between pollinators and the wider farming and growing environment.  If you provide food sources bees arrive from the wild, but how do you retain them there? Are there other potential managed pollinators besides honeybees and, if so, how do we harness their particular qualities?  Defra has recently announced a substantial new fund for pollinator research but grower organisations need to ensure that the cash is appropriately targeted.

Defra’s higher and entry level stewardship programmes currently encourage creation of pollen, and nectar, rich areas although the rules evolve constantly and specialist advice should be sought.  But grand aid aside, the environmental and agricultural benefits of encouraging diverse pollinator communities will also be reflected in better yields and quality of insect pollinated fruit and vegetable crops.