From new insects to dying trees and bumblebees: 10 ways hotter weather is going to change the British countryside

IHave you thought about it? You They were sweaty and uncomfortable during the recent heatwaves, never mind the poor bumblebees. At least we humans can undress to cool off; bees have no way of removing their thick, fuzzy fur.

But just being “inconvenienced” is the least of their concerns. New data analysis has found that heatwaves could see a sharp decline in bumblebee numbers in the coming years as climate change creates more extreme weather conditions and accompanying droughts.

Data from the Bumblebee Conservation Trust’s long-running national monitoring programme, shared with the BBC, has revealed a decline in bumblebee populations following record-breaking temperatures in which parts of England reached 40.3C.

That year, red-tailed, buff-tailed, and scalloped bumblebee numbers dropped by 20 percent, 25 percent, and 35 percent, respectively, from their peak.

Our native bumblebees have evolved to suit Britain’s relatively cool climate; Their bodies are designed to retain heat while flying. During a heatwave, this design works against them: their muscles produce more heat, and their fur and rounded body shape make it difficult for them to lower their body temperature.

When air temperatures reach 28°C and above, British bumblebees may have difficulty flying without overheating. If they can’t fly, they can’t collect nectar and help pollinate our plants. As a result, bumblebee colonies grow more slowly and queen numbers decrease.

Foundation’s scientific director Dr. “They actually cook themselves inside and out,” Richard Comont told the BBC. “When their internal body temperature gets well above 40°C, they literally start to die, they start to roll over.”

This is important not just because bumblebees are “cute”; They are “the basis of life”, according to Anabel Kindersley, chief executive of Neal’s Yard, bee campaigner and chair of a coalition of more than 100 British businesses lobbying the government to ban harmful pesticides that harm bees.

“We always think of bees last, but one in three mouthfuls of food depends on pollinators,” he says. “If we don’t protect them, there could potentially be a collapse of the entire ecosystem.”

As well as campaigning for more action across the country (more organic farming, better soil structure, more biodiversity and fewer pesticides), Kindersley also emphasizes the importance of individuals.

“Anyone can stand up and do something,” he says. “You can prioritize a variety of plantings to attract different types of pollinators to your garden. If you don’t have a garden, you can grow flowers in a window box to provide food and resting space for bees—all of which help.”

Leaving their water bowls outside on hot days can also help them.

But seeing fewer bees isn’t the only change we’ll experience as the mercury rises. Here are nine other ways Britain’s countryside could be affected by climate change and transformed beyond recognition over the next decade.

Praying mantises and wasp spiders

You might not associate this green and pleasant land with praying mantises, but these large, carnivorous insects look set to become even more popular in the coming years. Last year there were two separate first sightings of the European praying mantis in Cornwall; Seen in Oxford and Stratford in 2021. As temperatures rise across the planet, populations of praying mantis species in both Europe and Asia are already moving northward.

There are also dragonflies and damselflies whose populations are increasing and becoming more common in the UK as a result of climate change, while hummingbird hawk-moth sightings are becoming more common. The latter migrate to the UK from the Mediterranean and North Africa, with numbers peaking in the summer months; If they breed here, there is mounting evidence that some of their offspring may now survive our milder winters. Bumblebee spiders have also spread from the southern coast of England further north in warmer climates.

Less welcome increases have been recorded in the number of diamondback moths, which arrive in the UK in the warmer months and can cause widespread damage to brassica crops; Invasive mosquito species that can transmit diseases such as West Nile fever, dengue fever, chikungunya and Zika; and sand flies that spread leishmaniasis.

“Higher temperatures in the future will increase the suitability of the UK climate for these invasive species, increasing the risk of them spreading disease,” according to the UK report. Health Protection Research Unit.

More vineyards

Until recently the UK’s cool climate gave rise to the idea of ​​English wine – definitely smooth English wine is a ridiculous concept. Now climate change has affected our region so much that British wines are winning international awards and total vine area in the UK has doubled between 2014 and 2022.

Soy and sunflower

As our weather gets warmer, the crops we can and cannot grow will change accordingly. In recent years some farmers in southern England have started growing soybeans; predictions suggest that it will be possible to grow this crop in southern Scotland within the next 60 years. The farms are also experimenting with corn, sorghum and sunflowers.

Meanwhile 2025 to work The research, led by the UK Center for Ecology and Hydrology (UKCEH), predicted that by 2080 temperatures in this country will be suitable for crops traditionally grown in much warmer parts of the world, including oranges, chickpeas and okra. Growing stone fruits such as apricots and nectarines could become a common reality as early as 2035.

dying trees

Forests are becoming increasingly susceptible to pathogens and pests due to changes in temperature and moisture patterns.

Chestnut blight and pine pitch canker were previously a problem of Southern Europe; As the climate warms, they are expanding their northern range. Forest Research.

As a result of drought stress, trees are more vulnerable to attack and more prone to death. The larger eight-toothed European spruce bark beetle, found in south-east England, prefers weakened trees; If their increasing numbers go unchecked, they have the potential to cause untold damage. Pests such as bark-boring insects (which, you guessed it, burrow into tree bark) are also likely to benefit from the higher temperatures.

Farewell to the garden of the country house

Where a cottage garden once featured lawns and herbaceous borders, an “English” country garden in the future is likely to look much more Mediterranean: think citrus, olive and fig trees; thyme and lavender; or climbers such as passionflowers, which are less water-dependent than other plants.

April is the season of new flowers

As climate change affects the phenology of plants (the time of year when they go through different life stages, such as flowering), we’re seeing some flowers appear earlier and earlier.

Analysis The Woodland Trust’s database of observations recorded by volunteers shows that the flowering date of plants in the UK advanced by almost a month between pre- and post-1986 records.

For example, the hawthorn, colloquially known as the May tree because it historically bloomed in early May, usually begins blooming in April (making the moniker somewhat redundant).

In addition to affecting insects, nesting birds and the entire ecosystem, these changes are also bad news for hay fever sufferers. Lancet Countdown found that pollen season is on average one to two weeks longer in 2015-2024 compared to 1991-2000, and exposure to allergens is increasing.

(Hopefully) more fences

English hedgerows have been described as one of the most effective tools farmers have to respond to climate change; it helps farms adapt to harsher weather conditions, stores carbon and supports wildlife.

According to the People’s Trust for Endangered Species, “Fences can play an important role in improving the climate resilience of agricultural areas.” For this reason Defra’s objectives The Committee on Climate Change recommends that the national fence network should be increased by 40 percent by 2050, while creating or repairing 30,000 miles of fencing by 2037 and 45,000 miles by 2050.

Goodbye birch trees, hello Turkish hazelnuts

Some of our best-known and loved native trees are particularly sensitive to drought; In future summers, the beech trees of southern England, with their shallow root systems, will be increasingly at risk from lower rainfall and warmer temperatures. Birch and plane trees are also sensitive to our changing climate.

Native hornbeam, oak species, douglas fir, and western hemlock are more drought tolerant; but we may also see more proactive planting of exotic trees suitable for hotter, drier climates, such as eucalyptus, ginkgo biloba, sweet chestnut and Turkish hazelnut.

lost bluebells

A carpet of violet and fragrant bluebells is one of the great pleasures of spring in England. In fact, the UK’s woodlands are almost 50 percent of the world’s population of bluebells. However, our native flowers are under threat from the influence of the more robust and vigorous Spanish variety. This intruder outperforms our native species; takes away the light, water and nutrients needed to thrive, causing a natural decline in our native species; just as the American gray squirrel is pushing out the UK’s native red squirrel.

Although the Spanish bluebell is beautiful, it is paler in color and has no scent; The heavy scent of the British version evokes a useful “this way!” By signaling our native insects, we tell them where to look for food.

In addition, bluebells and other woodland plants will also be threatened if current predictions for wetter winters and hotter and drier summers come true. Warmer winters could also bring the danger of robbing bluebell and snowdrop bulbs of the early-flowering advantage they currently enjoy by allowing competing plants such as garlic mustard and cow parsley to begin leaf growth earlier in the year.