How much Swiss bees help economy?

For the first time, scientists have put a figure on their important work transporting pollen between flowering plants. Experts at the government's agriculture research centre, Agrosope, have calculated that the work of Swiss bees is worth CHF350 million ($365 million) annually.

Without these industrious bees, Switzerland’s (and the world’s) agriculture would wither. Though in Switzerland only 14 percent of cropland directly depends upon bee pollination, that still amounts to about 38,000 hectares of arable crops, plus 10,000 hectares of fruit and 3,200 hectares of berries”, says the report. The research was lead by entomologist Louis Sutter.

Sustainable populations of husbanded honey bees and wild bees – both threatened around the world – are crucial to maintaining viable pollination levels, says Sutter. As of now, bee populations in most areas of Switzerland dependent on crop pollination aren’t worrisome, except in the western region of the plateau between the Jura and Alp mountain ranges and the canton of Valais, according to the report.

How to protect bee populations? Among other things, Sutter’s report recommends a very pretty solution: flowers. Ribbons of flowers in otherwise fallow farmland between crops. “Bees require nesting and wintering possibilities as well as a supply of multiple and continuous food, which can be reached for example through floral fallows, hedges or flowered bands”, says the Agroscope report.

Agroscope researcher Louis Sutter is calling for more habitats and hives that allow bees to develop and get through winter.