A survey by the British Beekeepers’ Association shows that over a quarter of the UK’s honeybee hives lost their bees during the wet summer of 2007 and wet spring of 2008. The honeybee population has fallen - this will cause a shortage of honey and also seriously limit the pollination of flowers, fruits and vegetables, which will impact on the environment and also human food production. Colony Collapse Disorder, which has destroyed many bee colonies in America, may now be affecting British bees.
The UK’s honeybee hives contribute about £165 million a year to the economy; the decrease in our honeybee population could cost the economy £50 million. The worldwide decline in the bee population is also an environmental catastrophe.
'Newsnight' on BBC 2 also presented a report on the decline of British bees yesterday (19th August).