THEY are vital for the food chain and contribute more than £1 billion to the economy every year despite doing their job unpaid.

Now bees and butterflies are to be given greater protection as part of a decade-long plan to stem the decline of Scotland’s pollinating insects.

The new national strategy comes after the number of pollinators in Scotland has fallen by an estimated 51 per cent since the 1980s.

Changes to habitats and to behaviour of different species as a result of warmer weather will exacerbate the danger to bee species already facing numerous other threats.

Some species could face extinction while declining numbers would harm harvests of vital products in Scotland such as oilseed rape, strawberries, raspberries, currants, apples and beans.

The new strategy aims to make Scotland more “pollinator friendly” by protecting indigenous populations of honey bee, bumble bee, the solitary bee, butterflies and hover-flies.

As pollinators are vital for the environment, their dwindling numbers have led to fears of a negative impact on agriculture, food production, the economy and human health.

The Pollinator Strategy, which was launched yesterday, calls for the restoration and creation of flower rich habitats and greater use of green urban infrastructures such as roof top gardens.

Residents will also be urged to make their gardens more friendly for pollinators as many gardens are now paved over or have seen flowering plants replaced with easier to manage shrubs.

Public parks and school playing fields will also targeted and may even be cut less frequently so that pollinator friendly flowers can grow. Other measures would include the development and use of pollinator friendly pest control and new research into the impact of climate change on bee and butterfly numbers.

Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has led the development of the Pollinator Strategy working closely with environmental and land management organisations including the Bee Farmers Association; Buglife, National Farmers Union Scotland and Scottish Land & Estates.

SNH chairman Mike Cantlay said: “Growing evidence shows our native bees and insects that carry out pollination are facing tough times. Pollination is crucial for our environment – and, therefore, our own health, wealth and wellbeing.

“This strategy, a key part of the Scottish Biodiversity 2020 route map, sets out what needs to be done to ensure these bees and insects survive and thrive for generations to come, contributing to healthy ecosystems and landscapes in our country.

“We look forward to continuing this important work with our partners to strengthen the resilience of our native pollinator species.”

Honeybees are vital to the world’s agricultural economy and it is estimated that one-third of the food we eat is pollinated by bees.

Their role in the food chain is so important that in 2007 The National Audit Office collated research working out the value of honeybees to the UK economy.

The value of the bees’ services were estimated at £200m a year with the retail value of what they pollinate valued closer to £1bbn.

But recent research showed that, on average, UK flowers are getting earlier by four or five days each decade but bees are becoming earlier by seven to 10 days per decade. Thatmeans they are starting their activity before any of their flowing plants are available.

Bruce Wilson, Senior Policy Officer, Scottish Wildlife Trust said: “Pollinators are a vital part of Scotland’s landscape. Many of our native wildflowers, shrubs and trees would be unable to exist without them.

“Bees and hoverflies also provide the backbone for much of Scotland’s agriculture, contributing around £43m to the economy each year. In particular, we welcome the focus on a landscape scale approach to help species like bumblebees recover from serious decline. “ Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham said: “Pressures like land use change, pesticides, pollution, disease and climate change are threatening these life-giving insects, so we must act now.” to protect the pollinators and in turn safeguard our environment, our food and in turn our health.”