WIREDGOV

A new project to re-introduce the short-haired bumblebee to England was announced yesterday (Monday 1 June 2009) by Natural England, the Bumblebee Conservation Trust (BBCT), RSPB and Hymettus.

The short-haired bumblebee became extinct in England in 2000, but for over a century a small number of the original English population has clung on in New Zealand, having been transported there in the late nineteenth to pollinate crops of red clover. The bees were shipped aboard the first refrigerated lamb boats, and established small populations the south island of New Zealand, but there they remain unprotected and under threat.

Poul Christensen, Natural England’s Acting Chair, said: “Bumblebees are suffering unprecedented international declines and drastic action is required to aid their recovery. Bumblebees play a key role in maintaining food supplies - we rely on their ability to pollinate crops and we have to do all we can to provide suitable habitat and to sustain the diversity of bee species. This international rescue mission has two aims – to restore habitat in England, thereby giving existing bees a boost; and to bring the short-haired bumblebee home where it can be protected”.

The project hinges on the creation of healthy bumblebee habitat with the help of farmers in South East England, many of whom are already taking part in schemes to support the pollinating powers of bumblebees.*

Professor Dave Goulson of BBCT said: "BBCT are tremendously excited to be part of this project to repatriate one of our loveliest insects from the other side of the globe. Conserving bumblebees in all their diversity is vital if we are to keep healthy populations of the many wildflowers that they pollinate."

Malcolm Ausden, Senior Reserves Ecologist at the RSPB, said: “The loss of this bumblebee is a prime example of the pressures faced by the UK’s natural environment. The RSPB is committed to protecting our rich array of wildlife. Our reserve at Dungeness was the last place where this bee was found in the UK, so it’s fitting it should be the place where we try to reintroduce it.

“The site is a haven for bumblebees and a huge amount of work has been done to improve the site for them and encourage the flowering plants they love. It is not often you get a chance to bring back a species which has been lost. With the short-haired bumblebee, the New Zealand population gives us an opportunity to do just that.”

The short-haired bumblebee project will now begin exploring opportunities for bringing over small numbers of bees under licence from New Zealand, and will aim to develop a captive breeding program through which populations could be re-introduced onto selected sites in southern England.

Notes to editors:

For further information, interviews and photographs contact: Beth Rose, senior press officer at Natural England: 0300 060 1405 or 07900 608 052 or beth.rose@naturalengland.org.uk

*What the farmers are saying:

Simon Ashworth, arable pastoral farmer Romney Marsh:
“My brother and I took over my father’s farm in the 1950’s and we haven’t changed the way it runs! We farm beef, sheep, potatoes and wheat and all the fields are in ELS and old stewardship schemes. Wild flower bounders around our fields are planted with pollen and nectar mixes which encourage the foraging of bumblebees.”

Larry Cooke, arable and sheep farmer, Romney Marsh :
“Decreasing bumblebee populations will cause a decline in pollination of our important agricultural crops and food production will be seriously affected. We need to realise the value of our bumblebees and the impact of their decline.”

Natural England works for people, places and nature to conserve and enhance biodiversity, landscapes and wildlife in rural, urban, coastal and marine areas. We conserve and enhance the natural environment for its intrinsic value, the wellbeing and enjoyment of people, and the economic prosperity it brings.

Frequently asked questions:

          New Zealand

1. Q. Why was it taken to New Zealand (NZ)?
   A. Four species of bumblebees were taken to New Zealand to pollinate red clover (which was used as cattle fodder), as NZ has no native bumblebee species.

2. Q. Where is it found in NZ?
   A. Only on the South Island, mainly restricted to Mackenzie country. Main field sites are around Lake Wanaka, Lake Tekapo and Twizel.

3. Q. Who took it to NZ and how did it get transported to NZ?
   A. Hibernating queens were taken over on the first streams ships to have refrigerators. The crossing took 60 days! The crossing took place during the late 19th century, about 120 years ago.

4. Q. Why did it survive in NZ and not England?
   A. More flowers, especially red clover (although all the flowers are non-native). Many of UK and Europe’s flowers were also taken over to New Zealand and these flowers still persist today. They are much more widespread than in the UK.

5. Q. Why do we need to re-introduce a bumblebee from New Zealand?
   A. The extinct short-haired bumblebee is a symbol of our declining bumblebee populations. They are important pollinators of wild flowers and agricultural crops and their decline needs to be halted. Over the last 70 years Britain has lost 98% of its wild flowers meadows. By recreating the habitat needed for this bee species it all helps other endangered bee species and other important species which depend on this environment such as barn owls, yellow hammers, water voles and the marsh mallow moth.

6. Q. Isn’t it a little risky to tamper with a species who’s numbers are already low?
   A. It could die out in New Zealand, where it is declining, and it has no protection there. The bumblebee species present in New Zealand are non-natives which pollinate non-native plant species.

7. Q. How did it become extinct and when?
   A. Last seen at Dungeness, 1988 and officially declared extinct in 2000 after many repeated searches. We believe this bee species along with the other endangered bumblebee species have suffered due to the loss of wild flower meadows.

8. Q. What about the difference in climate?
   A. The climate of the South Island of New Zealand is very similar to the South of England.

9. Q. What about viruses?
   A. There are no known bumblebee viruses. It is unlikely these bees will bring back any viruses, however as part of the reintroduction programme we will be completing a disease risk assessment and screening before any bumblebees are released. Please note it is the honey bee which suffers from the Varroa mite which is causing its decline, whereas some bumblebee species are declining due to loss of habitat.

Logistics:

10. Q. How will you transport it back?
    A. On planes, in cool boxes.

11. Q. How many will you bring back? Will it be all at once or in stages?
    A. As many as we can, but hopefully there will be multiple releases over a few years. June is when the short-haired bumblebee normally emerges from hibernation.

12. Q. Will it be affected by jet lag?
    A. We'll bring them back in hibernation; they'll never notice a thing!

13. Q. Where will you put it?(and why?)
    A. Dungeness is our preliminary release site – this is where habitat recreation is currently focussed. In subsequent years following a successful release we are looking at e.g. N Kent, Salisbury Plain.

14. Q. When will it get here?
    A. Hopefully 2010/11. It is a unique project and so it is difficult to give an exact timescale.

Farming:

15. Q. Do you have the support of farmers?
    A. Yes. Our team is working very closely with farmers on the Romney Marsh area of Kent. To date the farmers have supported and backed our project and we are very pleased with the fantastic support they have given us.

16. Q. What do farms need to do to help the bumblebees?
    A. Bumblebees pollinate many important agricultural crops and are critical to our farming economy. Farmers and bumblebees need each other.

17. Q. Will it cost the farmers anything?
    A. No, farmers are able to join stewardship schemes such as HLS and ELS were they get compensation for recreating wild flower habitat. Therefore incur no cost to themselves.

18. Q. What benefits does this project bring to farmers?
    A. More bumblebees = better crop pollination - there is evidence that the shortage of pollinators is reducing crop yields.

Research:

19. Q. What research is being done here?
    A. Lots - large research group at Stirling (Scotland!) focussed on bumblebee conservation, several trips to study bee in NZ. Research is being undertaken of bumblebee nesting habitat, foraging patterns and behaviour to inform us about our bumblebees.

20. Q. Are these b.bees indigenous to any other country?
    A. Yes, several European countries, but they are likely to be genetically distinct from the UK bees. Many European countries are also experiencing a decline in short haired bumble bee numbers due to shortage of suitable habitat.

21. Q. How many species of bee are there in the world?
    A. Many thousands, most yet undescribed. There are 250 species of bee in the UK and 25 of these species are bumblebees, although two have become extinct and over half are BAP species.

22. Q. Where can you find them?
    A. Everywhere. You will have already seen many queens emerging since spring and some of our species do not emerge until June. Many of our common species you will find in your garden. They like to hibernate under paving stones, shed and in disused rodent holes!

23. Q. How can I help bees?
    A. Grow cottage-garden flowers such as lavender, lupins, chives, honey suckle, foxgloves, thyme, wild mint, heathers, rosemary, poppies and aquilegia.

24. Q. I had heard bees were in trouble. What’s happening?
    A. Honeybees are suffering from an undiagnosed disease causing "Colony collapse disorder". Bumblebees and other wild bees are suffering from a decline in wildflowers, and more generally from the effects of intensive farming which took place over 60 years ago.

25. Q. Why are bees important?
    A. They pollinate agricultural crops and wildflowers, other species rely on them for their survival – including humans to an extent.