Study begins to measure number of pollinating insects on the Channel Islands

Work has begun to compare the number of pollinators across the Channel Islands, in what is said to be one of the largest studies of it's kind ever conducted.

Pollinators include insects such as bees that help produce much of our food.

They have seen their numbers fall drastically over the last 50 years.

The study is the result of a collaboration between the pollinator project- an environmental group- and the University of Bristol.

£1 million of funding will enable four years of research on pollinating insects in Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney and Sark.

The research will show the impact that pesticides have had on pollinator numbers across both Bailiwicks.

Doctor Miranda Bane, who is part of the project said that "we will have a dataset that will really show what impact we can have" and added that it was a project "the rest of the world" can learn from.

Ecologists are hoping that their findings over the next four years will lead to policy change internationally when it comes to protecting pollinators.

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