Bees under threat from drought rise

BEES are at risk from climate change because more frequent droughts could cause plants to produce fewer flowers, researchers have said.

A study examined the impact of the severe dry spells – which are expected to become more common in many parts of the world – on plants.

Drought roughly halved the overall number of flowers, meaning less food for bees and other pollinators, it found.

The University of Exeter research, carried out in collaboration with the University of Manchester and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, is published in the journal Global Change Biology.

Ben Phillips, of the Environment and Sustainability Institute on the University of Exeter’s Penryn campus in Cornwall, was joint lead researcher for the work.

He said: “The plants we examined responded to drought in various ways, from producing fewer flowers to producing flowers that contained no nectar.

“But overall there was a very clear reduction in the number of flowers that were available – and obviously this means less food for flowervisiting insects such as bees.”

Bees are already under pressure from threats including habitat loss, the use of particular pesticides and the spread of diseases.

Dr Ros Shaw, of the University of Exeter, said: “Not only are these insects vital as pollinators of crops and wild plants but they also provide food for many birds and mammals.”