The latest findings from BeeWalk, the national bumblebee monitoring scheme run by the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, have revealed that 2024 was the worst year for bumblebees since records began. Across Great Britain, bumblebee numbers declined by almost a quarter (22.5%) compared to the 2010-2023 average.
The 24 species of bumblebee are iconic British insects which also play a vital role in pollinating crops and wildflowers, making their decline a major ecological concern. Expanding conservation efforts, a greater emphasis on habitat restoration, and continued monitoring are all key to safeguarding their future.
The immediate cause of the 2024 declines is likely to have been the cold and wet conditions from late April through June. The poor spring and early summer weather severely impacted many species in their most vulnerable period, the colony establishment stage, where queen bumblebees function as single mothers and must feed themselves and their growing larvae while also incubating the nest.
Species that typically reach their maximum abundance – the total number of individuals of a species present in a given area – in June or July suffered dramatically. Observations of common species White-tailed (Bombus lucorum s.l.) and Red-tailed (Bombus lapidarius) bumblebees fell by 60% and 74%, respectively, declining in England, Scotland, and Wales. Other species affected include:
- Tree bumblebee (Bombus hypnorum) – down 39%
- Southern Cuckoo bumblebee (Bombus vestalis) – down 38%
- Garden bumblebee (Bombus hortorum) – down 12.5%
- Buff-tailed bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) – down 9.5%
As weather conditions improved in July and August, bumblebees were able to stage a partial recovery but 2024 still had the second-worst July and August counts on record.
Species which usually reach their maximum abundance in August, including many rarer British species, displayed mixed trends in 2024:
- Heath bumblebee (Bombus jonellus) – up 63%, due to a strong second generation
- Brown-banded Carder bumblebee (Bombus humilis) – up 13%
- Common Carder bumblebee (Bombus pascuorum) – down 16%
- Moss Carder bumblebee (Bombus muscorum) – down 34%
England and Wales’ rarest bumblebee, the Shrill carder bumblebee (Bombus sylvarum) was up 74%. However, this was driven mainly by good numbers being recorded in the Thames Estuary population. The Shrill was not recorded at all in two of its five remaining populations.
Dr Richard Comont, Science Manager at the Bumblebee Conservation Trust said; “The 2024 results from BeeWalk highlight just how vulnerable our bumblebee populations are to shifting climate and environmental conditions. With another challenging year behind us, monitoring in 2025 will be crucial to understanding how – and whether – these species can recover.”
Dr Amy Plowman, Head of Conservation and Science at the Bumblebee Conservation Trust said; “Sadly, this year’s results show the worst counts on record, with particularly worrying drops in numbers for the White-tailed and Red-tailed bumblebee. These findings highlight the urgent need for action to protect our vital pollinators. We are incredibly grateful to our dedicated BeeWalkers whose commitment to citizen science allows us to track their populations, and we need everyone to help us to secure their future”.
View the latest BeeWalk report.
