Status report on pollinators from Estonia

1. State, trends and measures
for pollinators in Estonia
Eneli Viik, Agricultural Research Centre
eneli.viik@pmk.agri.ee
Webinar „Promoting pollinators. Learning from each
other in the northern Europe – a collaboration“
12 November 2020

2. State and trends of
pollinators

3. Bumblebees (1)
5th Estonian evaluation of species vulnerability according
to IUCN categories (2017-2018)
Source: Red list of species. Evaluation of species vulnerability. Estonian Nature
Information System (EELIS). Environment Agency (02.11.2020)
Regional IUCN
category
Expected
nr of
species
The share (%) from
evaluated species
Extinct in the Region 1 4
Critically Endangered 0
Endangered 0
Vulnerable 1 4
Near Threatened 4 14
Least Concern 20 71
Data Deficient 2 7
Number of
evaluated species
28 100
28 species from 29 evaluated

4. Bumblebees (3)
• Bumblebees monitoring in the frame of national enivronmental monitoring
programme (1996-2015, 2020-…)
• Bumblebee monitoring for the evaluation of Estonian rural development plan
measures related to environment (2006-…):
Source: Agricultural Research Centre
Nr of monitoring
tansects (areas)
every year 66.
Transects are
located on
grassland strips
next to arable
fields and on
arable fields with
entomophilous
culture.

5. Solitary bees
• 5th Estonian evaluation of species vulnerability according
to IUCN categories (2017-2018) – too few data, additional
studies needed
• Revision of Estonian bee fauna (2018-2020)
– Knowledge of Estonian bee fauna will improve
considerably
– For now we have knowledge about the existence of
271 species of bees in Estonia
– Based on the project data IUCN vulnerability categories
will be assigned also for solitary bee species
Photo: Margit Mõttus
Source: Villu Soon, University of Tartu

6. Butterflies (1)
5th Estonian evaluation of species vulnerability according to IUCN
categories (2017-2018)
• Input from Estonian butterfly distribution mapping (2016-2017)
Source: Red list of species. Evaluation of species vulnerability. Estonian Nature
Information System (EELIS). Environment Agency (10.11.2020)
Regional IUCN
category
Expected
nr of
species
The share (%) from
evaluated species
Extinct in the Region 3 3
Critically Endangered 1 1
Endangered 7 7
Vulnerable 2 2
Near Threatened 3 3
Least Concern 87 84
Data Deficient 0 0
Number of
evaluated species
103 100
103 species from 116 evaluated

7. Butterflies (2)
National enivronmental monitoring programme
„Butterflies communities“ (2004-2019, 2020-...)
Source: Õunap, E, Tiitsar, A. 2019. Päevaliblikate kooslused. Tartu University
Photo: Arne Ader
Butterfliesindex
7 9 9 11 11 11 11 11 12 12 14 14 14 14 14 14Nr of monitoring
transects (areas)

8. Hawkmoths (1)
5th Estonian evaluation of species vulnerability according to
IUCN categories (2017-2018)
Source: Red list of species. Evaluation of species vulnerability. Estonian Nature
Information System (EELIS). Environment Agency (02.11.2020)
Regional IUCN
category
Expected
nr of
species
The share (%) from
evaluated species
Extinct in the Region 0
Critically Endangered 0
Endangered 0
Vulnerable 0
Near Threatened 0
Least Concern 11 100
Data Deficient 0
Number of
evaluated species
11 100
11 species from 17 evaluated

9. Hawkmoths (2)
National enivronmental monitoring programme „Moths
communities“ (2003-…)
• Not all hawkmoth species are acting as pollinators
• Based on monitoring the index can be calculated for 4
species which are offering pollination service
Source: Erki Õunap, Estonian University of Life Sciences
Trends of the 4 species:
• 2 species: moderate increase
• 2 species: uncertain
Nr of monitoring areas (light traps) depending on the year 3-6

10. Hoverflies
• 221 species in Estonia
• Too few data about biology and abundance
• Not possible to evaluate the IUCN vulnerability
status of most of the species
Photo: Arne Ader
Source: Kurina, O. 2019. In: Kull, T. 2019. Liigikaitse Eesti ajateljel

11. Measures for pollinators in
Estonian rural development
plan 2014-2020

12. Measure specifically directed for
pollinators – establishing foraging
areas for bees (1)
• Applied since 2015
• 1-year obligation
• Related with honeybees (min 10 hives)
• Min 1 hive per 0,5 ha of land with melliferous plants
• At least 3 melliferous plants species – total list
includes 32 species
• Foraging area should start within a range of 200 m
• Mowing, grazing, chopping and preparation for
growing the next crop are prohibited until 15 August
• Glyphosates are prohibited
• €193/ha/year

13. Measure specifically
directed for pollinators
– establishing foraging
areas for bees (2)
The share (%) of species
• In 2019 0,4% from arable land
• In 2019 from the list of 32
forage plant species 11
species were used
Photo: Peeter Veromann
Source: Agricultural Research Centre (based on ARIB data)

14. Measures which may have indirect positive
impact on pollinators (1)
• Environmentally friendly management (EFM)
– 15% leguminous crops
– 2-5 m wide grassland field margins
– Limitaions on glyphosate applications
– Compulsory trainings
• Organic farming (OF)
– 20% leguminous crops
– No synthetic pesticides
– Compulsory trainings
• Both have 5-year obligation
965 253
Area,ha
SAPS EFM OF
Area under
SAPS (single
area payment
scheme), EFM
and OF support
Photo: Riho Marja
Source: Agricultural Research Centre (based on ARIB data)

15. Measures which may have indirect
positive impact on pollinators (2)
• Environmentally friendly horticulture (900 ha in 2019)
– Glyphosates are prohibited (except for strawberries)
– Pheromone traps
– Elements that support biodiversity (e.g. insect nests
and beehives)
– Protective hedge on each side of the field
• Maintenance of semi-natural habitats (32 200 ha in 2019)
– Extensively managed areas – good habitat
– Certain types provide good food resources
• Both have 5-year obligation
Photo: Arne AderPhoto: Arne Ader

16. OF and EFM bumblebee monitoring
Source: Agricultural Research Centre
Nr of monitoring
tansects (areas)
every year 66:
• 22 OF (organic
farming
• 22 EFM
(environmentally
friendly
management)
• 22 SAPS (single
area payment
scheme; have
not applied for
OF or EFM)
Transects are
located on grassland
strips next to arable
fields and on arable
fields with
entomophilous
culture.

17. Other activities for
pollinators

18. Other activities
• Education
• Raising awareness
• Citizen science
– Facebook groups:
• Estonian bumblebees and solitary bees (794
members)
• Butterflies and Moths of Estonia (1429 members)
– The citizen science platform "Nature observation
database„
– The citizen science platform "A summer dairy for
garden birds„
• Measures to reduce the use of pesticides
• There may be other smaller scale activities I am not
aware of
• In the frame of LIFE IP ForEst&FarmLand project
polliantors action plan will be workd out (2022-2024)

19. Thank you!
Photo: Eneli Viik