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Organic farming and flower strips promote the health of honey bees. In their vicinity, colonies grow stronger and are healthier overall. This is probably because the insects there have a diverse and continuous food supply and are exposed to fewer pesticides. These are the results of a new study by the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) and the Georg August University Göttingen, which was published in the “Journal of Applied Ecology”. The team analyzed data from 32 bee colonies at 16 locations in Germany with different proportions of organic fields, flower strips and semi-natural habitats.

According to the Federal Environment Agency, around half of Germany’s land area is used for agriculture. “How farmers manage their land has a major impact on nature. Intensively cultivated fields, pesticides and monocultures endanger many animal and plant species. This is particularly true for pollinators, which include honey bees,” says Prof. Robert Paxton, bee researcher at the MLU.

Key measures to counteract this trend include increasing the proportion of organic farming, planting more flower strips and creating perennial semi-natural areas near arable land. “In theory, these measures all make sense. However, we know little about how each of these measures affects insects, particularly honey bees,” Paxton continues.

The team from Halle and Göttingen therefore carried out a study at 16 locations in Lower Saxony. Each of these locations differed in its proportion of organic fields, flower strips and perennial natural habitats. The researchers placed bee colonies at each location and observed them for about a year. For example, they analyzed colony growth and parasite infestation. Particular attention was paid to the Varroa mite – a particularly dangerous pest of honey bees that can transmit viruses that are fatal to the bees.

The data collected from the bee colonies was then compared. “Organic farming had the greatest effect – the larger the proportion of these areas, the lower the parasite infestation of a colony. This improved colony growth,” explains lead author Patrycja Pluta from the MLU. One reason for this could be that fewer pesticides are used in organic farming and other plant protection measures are used instead. Flower strips were also beneficial for honey bees: in areas with many flower strips, the number of Varroa mites was lower. “This could be because a diverse and rich food supply strengthens the immune system of honey bees,” argues Pluta.

Perennial natural habitats, on the other hand, are rather disadvantageous, at least for honey bees. Larger areas usually mean a higher infestation with Varroa mites. And unlike flower strips, the areas are not designed to provide a rich food supply for honey bees and other pollinators.

“Perennial, semi-natural landscapes are an important tool for promoting biodiversity and provide habitat for many animals. Honey bees, which are managed by humans, are the exception,” says Paxton. The study’s findings could help improve the management of agricultural landscapes for bees and other pollinators.

Reference: Pluta P, Czechofsky K, Hass A, et al. Organic farming and annual flower strips reduce parasitism in honey bees and promote colony growth in agricultural landscapes. J Appl Ecol. 2024. doi: 10.1111/1365-2664.14723

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