Plight of the Bumblebee

In this episode Anja Murray investigates the state of pollinators in Ireland, examining the impact of pesticides, habitat loss and human activity on these essential parts of the ecosystem, as well as discovering possible solutions to their declining prospects. Pesticides, pollution, habitat loss and climate change are the primary threats facing pollinators. Bee pollination is responsible for much of the world’s food production, without bees much of our food production systems would collapse. But many bees are under serious threat today. In Ireland alone, over half the native species have declined since the 1980s, with 30% are now facing extinction. So what can we do to help save these tiny yet essential creatures? In this episode presenter Anja Murray will speak to experts like botanist Jane Stout and Dr Dara Stanley to find out the gravity of the situation, learning about the impacts of pesticides, human activity and climate change on our pollinators.