Almost 80% of crop pollination by wild bees is provided by just 2% of the most common species, say scientists.
In the UK, a small number of bees are vital for crops such as oilseed rape, apples and strawberries, according to the University of Reading team.
But protecting a wide range of bees would "provide an insurance policy against future ecological shocks, such as climate change", the scientists say.
The value of wild bee pollination is estimated at £1bn a year in the UK.
Comments