SLU news
Organic farming favours pollinators
Published: 23 September 2018
Organic farming methods favour pollinating insects. This is shown in a study from the Centre for Environmental and Climate Research, CEC, at Lund University. The study shows that organic farming methods actually stabilize insect populations and not only attract insects from neighbouring environments.
The study was conducted on ten organic and nine conventional farms in Skåne, Southern Sweden. The researchers examined two types of pollinating insects, bumblebees and butterflies. The results show that insect populations benefit from reduced use of plant protection products and increased availability of food in the form of flowering plants. Especially late flowering plants are important for the bumblebees when they are going to produce new queens for the next season. The study also shows that good access to stable and abundant flower resources benefits pollinating insects also at conventional farms.
Contact
E-mail: epok@slu.se