Sheep grazing, rather than honey bees, could pose a greater threat to wild pollinators on Scotland's moorlands, according to a new study led by the University of Bristol. Published in the Journal of Applied Ecology, the research suggests that spring grazing by sheep significantly reduces the availability of nectar that bumblebees and other wild pollinators rely on. In contrast, the presence of commercial honey bee hives during the summer heather bloom had a much smaller impact on wild pollinators. The study examined 20 moorland sites across Scotland over the full flowering season, from May to September. Researchers compared areas with and without honey bee apiaries, as well as land that was grazed and burned using a traditional practice called "muirburn" with land that was left to regenerate naturally. Over the course of the study, they recorded more than 1.6 million flowers and over 5,000 interactions between plants and pollinators, involving 58 plant species and 405 pollinator species. At 10 of the sites, commercial beekeepers had set up an average of 34 hives each during the peak heather flowering period. The researchers found that spring grazing by sheep removed nearly two-thirds less vital nectar for bumblebees compared to ungrazed areas. In contrast, the introduction of honey bee hives caused only minor changes in the foraging behavior of wild pollinators. The presence of honey bees had no measurable effect on the quantity or quality of pollen collected by bumblebees and only slightly altered the structure of plant-pollinator networks. Dr. Maisie Brett, the lead author of the study, noted that the findings challenge the assumption that honey bees are the main threat to wild pollinators. Instead, the study suggests that how habitats are managed—particularly the timing and intensity of grazing—may be more critical. Brett recommended carefully managing or avoiding sheep grazing in spring to protect flowers like blaeberry, introducing honey bee hives only during the peak heather bloom, and maintaining a mix of habitat types to support diverse pollinator communities. The research is especially relevant now, as new Scottish legislation and conservation strategies are being developed to better protect heathland ecosystems and their pollinators.