Declining populations of bees and rare wildflowers may have started to improve during the lockdowns because of the pandemic as a lot of councils are leaving roadside verges uncut, notes the biggest conservation charity of Europe for wild plants.
This respite may lead to a rise of colors in the countryside this summer and help other pollinators like birds, butterflies, and bats, explain botanists.
Unfortunately, a lot of plants have been destroyed by the transformation of natural meadows into housings and farmland. These grassland strips house around 700 wildflower species, around 45 percent of the total flora in the UK.
And, bees seem to be among those pollinators who are also thriving because of the coronavirus.
Britain’s Biggest Farm for Bees Say Bees Are Thriving
The polluted air decreased through the UK because of people leaving their cars due to the pandemic lockdowns and they shopped locally and stayed mostly at home.
Helen McGregor, 43 and a beekeeper, thinks this situation has made a lot of people more aware of nature and this is good for the bees.
McGregor’s family has had this business Denrosa Apiaries since the 40s. This is the biggest bee farm in the UK with 4000 hives with around 50,000 bees each.
McGregor notes that the improved air quality is making all the difference in the environment and this has a positive impact on bees. She hopes this positive trend continues.
Farmers in this area depend on pollination of crops and Denrosa provide beehives for this.
The grandfather of Helen began the business in the 40s when he got back from the II WW. He died in 2016 at the age of 96 and passed on the business onto his son Murry.
They now have hundreds of sites throughout the UK with 4 or 5 teams checking 6 sites on the daily.
Even though it’s early to predict the production, bees are busy bringing back pollen and nectar. Helen claims that they’re at the mercy of the weather and could use some rain because the ground is quite dry.
