This is a class licence. This page includes the conditions and advice for using this licence. 

Find out how to register to use this licence and other important information.

Overview

This licence permits growers to release commercially supplied non-native bumblebee colonies of Bombus terrestris terrestris and Bombus terrestris dalmatinus (and hybrids between these two subspecies) in the glasshouses at registered premises* for emergency crop pollination.

This licence does not permit the use of non-native bumblebees in non-commercial situations (eg domestic gardens, allotments or orchards).

This licence does not place any conditions, restrictions or reporting requirements on the use of the hives containing commercial native British bumblebee (Bombus terrestris audax). To safeguard against the potential threats to bees and other wild pollinators, Natural England strongly recommends that growers use the native British bumblebee which is now widely available for commercial use. These British bumblebees should also be screened for diseases and pathogens to the same level as the licensed non-native bumblebees.

Registration: To use this licence, you must first apply to Natural England to be registered. Natural England will confirm your registration in writing. You must not carry out any licensed activities until you receive written confirmation of your registration.  

You are required to reregister each year to use this licence.

Recording and reporting: There are data recording and annual reporting requirements

Reference: WML – CL28

Legislation

Statute(s): Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) (‘the 1981 Act’)

Section(s): This licence is issued under sections 16(1)(a), 16(4)(c) and 16(5)

Licence terms and conditions

Valid for the period: 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2025 (inclusive)

Area valid in: All counties of England (landward of the mean low water mark)

Purpose(s) for which this licence is issued: This licence can only be used for emergency crop pollination.

What this licence permits: Subject to all the terms and conditions of this licence and solely for the purposes stated above, this licence permits owners and managers of commercial horticultural businesses to:

• release non-native bumblebees of the subspecies Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) into commercial glasshouses at Registered Premises in England

Who can use this licence: Only a Registered Person*, an Accredited Agent* or their Assistants* can use this licence. You must contact Natural England to apply for an individual licence if this licence does not cover the action you want to take.  

*see Definitions

Who cannot use this licence: You cannot use this licence if you have been convicted of a wildlife offence* on or after 1 January 2010, unless one or both of the following applies:  

• you have served your conviction and are a rehabilitated person under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974  

• a court has made an order discharging you of the wildlife offence  

You cannot use this licence if Natural England has withdrawn your permission to use it. 

*see Definitions

Definitions used in this licence

“Registered Person” is an owner or manager of the named commercial horticultural business, and who has successfully registered to use this licence in accordance with Condition 1.

“Accredited Agent” is a suitably trained and experienced person who can carry out work under licence without the personal supervision of the Registered Person. A Registered Person must only authorise an Accredited Agent if they can personally assure that the individual is appropriately experienced, skilled and competent to undertake activities under this licence.

“Assistant” is a person assisting a Registered Person or Accredited Agent. Assistants are only authorised to act under this licence whilst they are under the direct supervision of either the Registered Person or an Accredited Agent. They cannot work alone or unsupervised.

“Registered Premises” are the commercial horticultural businesses where you plan to release the non-native species.

“Wildlife offence” means any offence under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 (‘the Habitats Regulations’), the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, the Protection of Badgers Act 1992, the Deer Act 1991, the Hunting Act 2004, the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996, the Animal Welfare Act 2006, the Protection of Animals Act 1911 (all as amended) or the Invasive Alien Species (Enforcement and Permitting) Order 2019.

Licence conditions

1. To use this licence you must either:
   
   a. be a Registered Person (see Information and Advice notes h-k and Definitions);
   
   b. be authorised as an Accredited Agent (see Definitions) by a Registered Person, in which case you are only permitted to act under the authority of this licence if you are in possession of a letter signed by the Registered Person appointing you by name as a duly Accredited Agent for the purpose of this licence. Accredited Agents shall carry a copy of the said letter when acting under the licence and shall produce it to any police or Natural England officer on request; or
   
   c. be authorised by a Registered Person or their Accredited Agent to act as an Assistant (see Definitions), in which case you may act under the authority of this licence so long as you are doing so under the direct supervision of a Registered Person or their Accredited Agent. Assistants cannot work alone or unsupervised.
   
   
2. The Registered Person is responsible for ensuring that persons carrying out operations under the authority of this licence are aware of all terms and conditions of the licence.
   
   
3. This licence only applies to the release of commercially reared non-native bumblebee colonies that are free of the following viable diseases and pathogens: Nosebag bombi, Nosema apis, Nosema ceranae, Apicystis bombi, Crithidia bombi, Deformed Wing Virus, Locustacaris buchneri (tracheal mite), Melissococcus plutonius, Ascosphaera, Melittobia acasta, Aethinia tumida, American foulbrood (caused by Paenibacillus larvae) and Tropilaelaps mites. The latter three are all notifiable diseases and their presence must be reported to the National Bee Unit. Pollen supplied with any non-native bumblebee must also be free of the same viable pathogens and diseases (see Information and Advice note c).
   
   Each bumblebee consignment imported must be accompanied by an original health certificate modelled on ‘Model BEE’ (bumble bees).  Find bees model health certificates. The health certificate must be issued no more than 24 hours prior to dispatch by the relevant authority in the country of origin.
   
     You must notify all imports in advance via the IPAFFS system (see Information and Advice in note d).
   
   
4. Bumblebees must be housed in the original hive box as supplied and must not be re-housed in other containers.
   
   
5. This licence is only to be used at the registered commercial horticultural businesses. There must be a named person (the Registered Person) for the Registered Premises who may authorise other persons to use the licence (Accredited Agents and/or Assistants) and who is responsible for the conduct of all activities carried out under this licence whether by themselves or by the other authorised persons (see Information and Advice notes h - k for advice on registration).
   
   
6. The Registered Person or Accredited Agent and/or their Assistant shall only place non-native bumblebee colonies inside glass-house(s) during the period 1 March 2025 and 30 September 2025, and in appropriate numbers, required for emergency crop pollination, and shall comply with good practice and take all reasonable steps to prevent the escape of non-native bumblebees beyond the confines of such structures.
   
   
7. Non-native hives can only be used once they have been marked with “NN” using orange indelible ink and the following information posted in a prominent position at all entrances to the greenhouses in which they are to be placed:
   
   Hives of non-native bees, which are marked “NN” with orange indelible ink in this greenhouse can only be used in accordance with this premises’.
   
   They must not be used in open fields and must only be used in this greenhouse to pollinate crops growing within these structures.
   
   Any unlicensed use of these hives is a criminal offence and may result in an unlimited fine or a 6 month custodial sentence, or both.
   
   The marked hives must be closed and removed from the crop by the 70th day after introduction and before the 30 September 2025, the bumblebees killed within two days and the hives disposed of as soon as possible.
   
   Bumblebees are to be killed either by freezing for at least two days at -18°C or by the application of an approved bee or wasp nest treatment insecticide.
   
   After use, the marked boxes and their contents must be disposed of in accordance with the Animal By-Products Regulations”.
   
   
8. When introduced to the crop all marked hives must have a queen lock or similar device to prevent the queens leaving the hive and at all times this lock must be set to the position intended to prevent the escape of queens. Colony hives must not be used where this lock is lacking, damaged or can be set in such a position which permits queens to leave the hive, and Natural England must be informed of any such issues (see Annex A for reporting requirements).
   
   
9. Individual hives must be closed and removed from the crop 70 days after introduction, the bumblebees killed within two days and the hives disposed of as soon as possible. Bumblebees are to be killed either by freezing for at least two days at -18°C or by the application of an approved bee / wasp nest treatment insecticide.
   
   
10. After use, the non-native bumblebee hives and their contents must be disposed of in accordance with the Animal By-Products Regulations (see Information and Advice note c).
    
    
11. If the Registered Person, their Accredited Agents and/or Assistants becomes aware that nonnative bumblebees supplied under licence for crop pollination have become established in the environment, Natural England Wildlife Licensing (contact details below) must be informed in writing, within three working days.
    
    
12. If the Registered Person, their Accredited Agents and/or Assistants become aware of disease outbreaks, parasite infestations or high levels of unexplained mortality among commercial or native bumblebees in or adjacent to their premises Natural England Wildlife Licensing (contact details below) must be informed in writing within three working days.
    
    
13. The Registered Person, their Accredited Agents and/or Assistants shall permit an officer of Natural England, accompanied by such individuals as they consider necessary for the purpose, on production of their identification on demand, to inspect premises registered to use this licence and to be present during any operations carried out under the authority of this licence for the purpose of ascertaining whether the conditions of this licence are being, or have been, complied with. The Registered Person and authorised persons shall give all reasonable assistance to an officer of Natural England and any individuals accompanying them.
    
    
14. As part of any product stewardship disease surveillance regime being operated by the commercial bumblebee industry, Defra or Natural England, samples of bumblebees may be taken for testing when the hives first arrive on the farm. The Registered Person, their Accredited Agents and/or Assistants shall give all reasonable assistance to individuals working on behalf of the producers, Defra or Natural England to take samples of bumblebees for disease testing.

Recording and reporting requirements

15. The Registered Person must comply with the reporting requirements specified in Annex A. Reports, including ‘nil’ returns, must be submitted for the period 1 March to 30 September by no later than 31 October the same year. The Registered Person may authorise other individuals to submit reports on their behalf. When submitting the report to Natural England by email, the authorised individual must provide a copy to the Registered Person (the Registered Person must be ‘copied in’ to the email submission). It is the responsibility of the Registered Person in all cases to ensure that records are accurate and submitted in accordance with the terms of this licence.

Issued by and on behalf of Natural England on 1 January 2025.

Information and advice specific to this licence

Bumblebee information

a. Persons relying on this licence should obtain a copy of the latest version of the IBMA “Advice to growers; the use of bumble bees for pollination of crops in the UK” from their supplier and confirmation that the bumblebees are free of viable pathogens listed in Condition 3. If there is a difference between a licence condition and published guidelines, you must follow the licence condition.

b. This licence does not permit:

i. The use of non-native bees on any other premises owned by the registered person unless they have been registered with Natural England Wildlife Licensing (contact details below) or

ii. the release of non-native bumblebees in parts of the UK outside England, even if the supplier of the bumblebees is licensed for the release of bumblebees in these areas.

c. One of the ways to prevent the spread of bee and bumblebee diseases is to effectively dispose of the hives and carcasses of bumblebees. Current methods of killing bumblebees ie freezing or poisoning with insecticide, may not destroy the bacteria and viruses that cause the diseases. The effective destruction of bumblebee carcasses and their hives is covered in the Animal By-Products Regulations (APBR). Dead bumblebees are classed as a Category 3 animal by-product. This is the least risky category of ABPR. The regulations allow bumblebees and bombiculture by-products (which includes the cardboard hives) to be destroyed on site by burning or burial.

If the bumblebees and their hives are be taken off site, they must be destroyed in accordance with the regulations. There are various options but the most common are destruction by rendering or incineration at an animal bi-product approved incinerator or rendering plant. A list of such plants can be found at:- http://www.defra.gov.uk/ahvla-en/disease-control/abp/premises. Each consignment must be accompanied by a commercial document which has to contain certain information, such as the date, haulier and place of disposal.

Further information can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/guidance-for-the-animal-by-product-industry#transport,-storage,-handling-and-incineration. Failure to comply with the correct destruction of bumblebees and bombiculture by-products may be an offence under the regulations, which are enforced by the Local Authority.

d. You must satisfy yourself that bumblebee consignments are imported in accordance with all the relevant legislative conditions. Failure to comply with the requirements laid down in the Trade in Animals and Related Products Regulations 2011 (as amended) and the Bee Diseases and Pests Control (England) Order 2006 may lead to your consignment being destroyed and to potential prosecution. 

Read guidance on importing bees to England

The law

e. Under section 14 of the 1981 Act it is an offence to release or allow to escape into the wild any animal which is of a kind which is not ordinarily resident in, and is not a regular visitor to, Great Britain in a wild state; this includes non-native subspecies of the bumblebee (Bombus terrestris). This offence shall not apply to anything done under and in accordance with the terms of this licence.

Recording and Reporting

f. The Registered Person must maintain a record, which must be kept for at least 24 months after the expiry date of this licence, in accordance with the requirements of Annex A. Records must be provided for inspection at any reasonable time, if requested by Natural England. The Registered Person may authorise other individuals to maintain this record on their behalf. It is the responsibility of the Registered Person in all cases to ensure that these records are adequate and appropriately available.

Registering to use this licence

g. Only a Registered Person*, an Accredited Agent* or their Assistants* can use this licence (see Condition 1). To register for this licence, you must send an email to Natural England at wildlife@naturalengland.org.uk with: 

• the name of a responsible person (such as the owner or manager)
   

• the name and address (including post code), phone number and email address of the premises where you plan to release the non-native species
   

• a short description of the premises (such as greenhouse, polytunnel) and the types of crops that’ll be pollinated
   

• how non-native bumblebees will be used in research (if a research project)
   

• evidence of why native commercial bumblebees weren’t available and what action was taken to try to obtain native hives 

The licence can only be used at the address supplied to Natural England.

h. You are required to reregister each year to use this licence. Failure to comply by the terms and conditions, including the recording and reporting requirements, will, by default, render registration null and void.

i. It is the responsibility of Registered Persons to maintain their expertise at an appropriate level to act under this licence and it is also their responsibility to ensure that Accredited Agents and Assistants have appropriate training, experience and instruction to act under this licence.

j. Anyone seeking to confirm whether a person is registered to use this licence should contact Natural England Wildlife Licensing (contact details below).

k. A person’s registration may be revoked by Natural England, for example, if that person breaches the conditions of this licence. In these circumstances Natural England will normally give 28 days’ notice of our intention to revoke a person’s registration.

Information and advice for all class and general licences

General information

l. Natural England checks compliance with licences and the attached conditions. Where breaches are identified, these may be subject to enforcement action.

m. Ordinarily, licences will be reissued on 1 January each year. You are required to reregister each year to use this licence. On re-issue of the licence, you should check the terms and conditions of the licence before you use it for the first time each year, in case of amendments. Note that licences can be modified or revoked at any time by Natural England or the Secretary of State, but this will not be done unless there are good reasons for doing so.

n. The common name of the species given in a licence is included by way of guidance only; in the event of any dispute or proceedings, it is the scientific name of a species only that will be taken into account.

The limits of licences

o. Licences permit action only for the purposes specified on that licence.

p. Licences do not permit actions prohibited under any other legislation, nor do they confer any right of entry upon land.

q. Unless otherwise stated the provisions of Natural England licences only apply landward of the mean low water mark in England. The Marine Management Organisation is responsible for licensing seaward of the mean low water mark.

Using and sharing your information

r. There is significant public interest in wildlife licensing and in those who benefit from receiving a wildlife licence. We may make information publicly available, for more information, please see our privacy notice.

Contact details for Natural England

Telephone: 0300 060 3900

Email: wildlife@naturalengland.org.uk

Postal address:

For other enquiries use the Enquiry Service:

Telephone: 0300 060 3900

Email: enquiries@naturalengland.org.uk

Website: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/natural-england

Annex A - Recording and reporting requirements

Reporting

The Registered Person is required to complete a report (WML-LR-CL28) with the following information:

• site name and location (six figure OS Grid Reference)
• number of non-native bee hives used
• date(s) the non-native hives were introduced to green-houses
• date(s) the non-native hives were destroyed
• details of non-native bee hives supplied with the queen lock missing, damaged or set in a position which will allow the queens to escape

Records must be kept for at least 24 months beyond the expiry date of this licence.

All licence report templates are available from the GOV.UK website at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/class-licences-for-wildlife-management.

WML-CL28 [version January 2025]