1. Bee populations are rapidly declining around the world due to habitat loss, pollution and the use of pesticides.
2. Bees are the world’s most important pollinators, fertilizing a third of the food we eat and 80% of flowering plants.
3. Bees and other pollinating insects have a global economic value of around £120bn ($150bn).
4. Ozone concentrations of 60 parts per billion was enough to cause chemical changes that confused bees and prevented them from foraging efficiently.
5. In a world with less air pollution, bees can make shorter and more profitable ‘shopping trips’, and this may help them rear more young.
6. It is estimated that 24 billion bees and wasps are killed by vehicles on roads across North America every year.
7. A break for wild bees means a bad time for honey as commercial beekeepers and farmers who rely on them to pollinate their crops are struggling because of travel restrictions.
8. “Citizen Science” like Flower-Insect Timed Count (FIT Count) are being used to gather scientific data during lockdown, covering a much wider area than scientists usually reach.
9. Increased awareness and engagement with bees could be a boon for conservation but any long-term benefits for bees would depend on these changes being carried forward as lockdowns lift.
10.People are beginning to realize how their mental health and wellbeing is supported by nature – particularly by bumblebees
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