Meet the pollinators: bees

Pollination is what keeps plants alive and propagating. It involves pollen grain going from the stamen (the male part of the flower) to the stigma and egg (the female part of the flower). Pollinators like bees help our food plants grow and keep our gardens blooming.

Approximately 75% of crops need pollination. Pollinators of all kinds – including bees – are declining in the wild. This could have a severe impact on agricultural productivity and adversely impact human welfare. At Kew we are using science to find solutions. 

Our gardens have nearly 30,000 different kinds of plants and decades of experience in phytochemical research. One of our projects unravels the role of plant chemistry in bee health. We are characterising chemical compounds in pollen and nectar of major UK pollinator plants.

We are testing the effects of nectar and pollen compounds on bee diseases. We’re also studying the interaction of plant compounds, the bee microbiome, and bee parasites, and identifying plants and plant compounds that can improve pollinator health in the UK.

In another project we are extending our research on bee nutrition by using naturally sourced nutrients from pollen and royal jelly to identify how bees regulate protein and lipids in their diets. We examine diets that meet the honeybee’s needs for essential nutrients.

Our research and partnerships have helped us gain new insights into bee behaviour and we've conducted many studies. Ecologists attached a tiny tracker onto a bee and monitored bee behaviour. 

At Wakehurst we partner with The Sussex Plan for Honeybee Health and Wellbeing. We have a research facility, bee garden and observation hives. We aim to breed disease-resistant honeybees and study the impact of stress factors. We also monitor bee pests and pathogens.