A survey carried-out by the the British Beekeepers Association, has found that Honeybee populations declined by 13.6% over the winter. Losses were most severe in the north-east, where the survey recorded a loss rate of 17.1%.
Martin Smith, President of the BBA said “If this was measured against similar losses in livestock it would be seen as disastrous and there would be great concern on the knock-on impact of food prices.”
The association is now calling on everyone who has a garden, however small, to plant bee-friendly plants this summer. They say “It is really important that there are flowering nectar-rich plants around in August, September and October to provide the nutrition that’s needed so the bees can top up their stores of honey in the hive to see them through winter.”
Source: Article from today’s Guardian: www.guardian.co.uk
British Beekeepers Association website: www.bbka.org.uk and Press Release
