A new study from Lund University shows that increased road traffic leads to fewer bumblebee nests along roadsides. The survey covered 60 sites in Skåne.
The study, funded by Trafikverket and published in Biological Conservation, examined the link between traffic volume and bumblebee presence.
Doctoral student Sofia Blomqvist noted that along the least trafficked roads almost no dead bumblebees were found. At around 4,000 vehicles per day more dead than live bumblebees were observed during the inventories.
Flower-rich roadsides along smaller roads serve as attractive nesting sites, while no bumblebee nests were found along stretches with normal traffic.