'Pioneering' study to boost bee numbers at Wakehurst

A botanic garden in West Sussex is celebrating five years of its "pioneering" research, which aims to boost pollinating insect populations.

Kew's Wakehurst botanical gardens launched its Nature Unlocked programme in 2021 with an aim to develop solutions to climate change, nature recovery and biodiversity loss.

One of its projects is to identify which plants are most effective for supporting pollinators including bees, wasps, butterflies and moths.

Wakehurst said that bees were a "critical resource for ensuring food security and sustaining biodiversity". But numbers have declined globally.

From March 2023 to October 2025, Wakehurst scientists monitored and identified 2,100 insects, including bees, moths and hoverflies.

The data revealed that about 110 species of bees were present in the area, which was more than the total number of species in the whole of Ireland, as well as 90 species of moth.

Janine Griffiths-Lee, a pollination research lead, said that trees provided "sources of pollen and nectar earlier in the season".

"While previous studies on pollinators have generally focused on wildflower meadows, we're using pioneering new techniques that focus on trees," she added.

Wakehurst added that the scientists had been advising housing developers and landscape architects which pollinator-friendly plants could be included in urban areas.

Last year, the botanic garden installed bioacoustics monitors on trees to record pollinating insects' population by listening to the sound of their buzz.

It also recorded bumblebee visits to investigate the impacts of heatwaves on foraging behaviour.

Wakehurst also unveiled another series of projects which were part of the Nature Unlocked programme, including the installation of 28 cameras across the site, using artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm to monitor bees and moth foraging behaviour at night.

Additionally, Wakehurst is opening its Wakehurst Ecosystem Observatory (WEO) where scientists and citizen scientists can study different habitats including woodlands, meadows and gardens.

Phil Wilkes, the lead researcher of Nature Unlocked, said that the project would allow researchers to explore how ecosystems work, respond to change and how they support both wildlife and people.

Follow BBC Sussex on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.