General

Losing bees would hurt UK economy

Could cost 13 per cent of country’s farming income

In a bid to save declining bee populations, the Insect Pollinators Initiative will look at what could be causing the decline, and represents a £10m investment in nine different projects, the BBC reports. In fact, if bees and all pollinators disappeared completely, the UK economy could lose up to £440 million per year, or about 13 per cent of its income from farming. The initiative is a collaboration between UK scientists from universities and government agencies, funded by public and charity organizations. Some will look at what affects the health of pollinators like wasps, bees, and moths, which help feed people by pollinating crops, while others will look at specific species and diseases. Since the 1970s, there’s been a 75 per cent decline in butterfly species in the UK, and three of 25 bumblebee species have gone extinct.

BBC News

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