Bumble bees. They may sting, but we love them really. The sound of busy wings buzzing around a flower-filled garden means that Spring has arrived and Summer will soon be on its way.
Recently, the media has highlighted how declining bee populations in Britain are a concern for agriculture. Without flying insects such as bees, wasps and butterflies, pollen transfer doesn't occur, seeds aren't produced and crops fail.
Bees are not the only organisms needed for the steady supply of food to our supermarkets. Spiders, beetles, worms and many other species all have a role to play in the complex web of ecological relationships and provide essential ecosystem services for crop production. The collapse of just one species could result in the break down of whole ecosystems and agricultural production.
Clearly, managing human impact on the environment has no single clear solution. It is not enough to just focus on protecting one species using one management technique. An integrated approach is needed that looks at the many species affected and adopts a variety of different management methods backed by science that is measurable and repeatable.
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