Pollinator populations in Finland are showing some signs of decline. The total abundance of butterflies and moths has slightly decreased in recent decades. Yields of insect-pollinated crops have also dropped in southern Finland since the 1990s. The proportion of threatened species is higher than average in butterflies and bees. However, interest in pollinators has increased significantly in recent years, with many new projects launched to study pollinator trends, establish monitoring schemes, restore habitat, and develop national strategies to prevent pollinator loss.

1. State, trends and measures for
pollinators in Finland
Juho Paukkunen
Finnish Museum of Natural History (Luomus), University of Helsinki
Promoting pollinators webinar 12.11.2020

2. Content of the presentation
• Pollinators in Finland
• Population trends
• Threatened species
• Measures and projects

3. Flies, mosquitoes, gnats and midges (Diptera) Beetles (Coleoptera)
Butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera) Bees, wasps and ants (Hymenoptera)
7600 spp.
7300 spp.
2600 spp.
3800 spp.

4. Population trends: Butterflies
• Butterfly populations have sligthly declined during the
past two decades.
Population trend 1999-2019
Numberofbutterflyspecies
Averagetrendofallspecies
Heliölä, J. & Kuussaari, M. 2020: Results of the butterfly monitoring scheme in Finnish agricultural landscapes
for the year 2019. – Baptria 45(2): 36-44.

5. Population trends: Moths
• Total moth abundance has sligthly declined after
the 1990s, but fluctuation is high.
Leinonen, R., Pöyry, J., Söderman, G. & Tuominen-Roto, L. 2016: The Finnish moth monitoring scheme
(Nocturna) 1993-2012. – Reports of the Finnish Environment Institute 15. 71 pp.
TRIM index, total abundance
Epirrita autumnata

6. Population trends: Bumblebees
• Northern species are declining, but some southern
species are spreading.
1960s
Bombus lapponicus Bombus terrestris Bombus schrencki
2000
2017
2017
2018
2020
2020
2020

7. Population trends: Honeybees
• Number of beekeepers decreased after the 1980s, but
has been increasing since 2010.
• Number of bee hives has reached new highs recently.
Source: The Finnish Beekeepers’ Association.
Number of
members in the
Finnish Beekeepers’
Association
Number of
bee hives

8. Average turnip rapeseed yields in Finland
Hokkanen, H. M., Menzler-Hokkanen, I. & Keva, M. 2017: Long-term yield trends of insect-pollinated
crops vary regionally and are linked to neonicotinoid use, landscape complexity, and availability of
pollinators. - Arthropod-Plant Interactions 11(3): 449-461.

9. 2000 2010 2019
Bees (Hymenoptera: Anthophila) 19 % 20 % 17 %
Flies (Diptera: Brachycera) (3 %) 6 % 5 %
Butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera) 10 % 17 % 18 %
Beetles (Coleoptera) 10 % 9 % 9 %
All organisms 10 % 11 % 12 %
Proportion of threatened species
National Red List assessments: Rassi et al. 2000, Rassi et al. 2010 and Hyvärinen et al. 2019.

10. Examples of threatened bees in Finland
Bombus hyperboreus (VU)
Andrena marginata (CR) Hoplitis robusta (CR)
Bombus consobrinus (EN)

11. Management of pollinator habitat
• The area of semi-natural grasslands (’heritage
landscapes’) has decreased drastically since the
19th century, and less than 1% is now left.
• Currently ca. 30000 hectares of semi-natural
grasslands is managed by grazing or mowing.
• Special agricultural subsidies are available for
farmers and associations for the management of
semi-natural grasslands.
• 15000 hectares will be restored in the next few
years through the Helmi-project funded by the
Ministry of Environment.

12. National Pollinator Strategy
• The aim is to prepare an action plan for
preventing the loss of pollinators in
Finland.
• Similar strategies have already been made
in e.g. Norway, Sweden, Ireland, UK and NL.
• The project is coordinated by the Ministry
of Environment and the working group
consists of 19 members.
• The work started in October 2020 and will
be finished in September 2021.
National Pollinator
Strategy of Norway

13. ’Save the pollinators’ campaign
• Finland’s national public broadcasting company YLE held a campaign
(’Pelasta pörriäinen’) from April to September to help pollinators.
• Tens of TV and radio programmes and online articles were published
during the campaign (see https://yle.fi/aihe/kategoria/luonto/pelasta-
porriainen).
• People were also encouraged to report their actions to help pollinators at
the campaign website and Instagram.
• About 76000 actions were listed, including more than 20000 actions to
plant pollinator friendly plants and more than 18000 plans to build insect
hotels.

14. Other projects on pollinators
Status, monitoring and economic value of pollinators in Finland
(PÖLYHYÖTY)
• 2019–2021, leaded by the Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE)
• Funding from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
• Aims of the project:
1) Assess the status and population trends of Finnish
pollinators
2) Plan a national pollinator monitoring scheme
3) Investigate the supply of bee pollination for agriculture and
economic value of insect pollination in Finland
Pollinator friendly farms: advisory material for farmers
• 2022, conducted by Traci Birge (University of Helsinki)
• Funding from the Maj and Tor Nessling Foundation

15. Summary
• Total abundance of butterflies and moths is slightly decreasing,
but knowledge on the trends of other pollinators is still scarce.
• Yields of insect pollinated crops have dropped in southern
Finland since the 1990s.
• The proportion of threatened species is higher than average in
butterflies and bees, but lower in beetles and flies.
• Interest in pollinators has increased significantly in recent years
and many new projects have started.