| Bees are disappearing, fast. The population of honey | | | | So what exactly will happen if bees die out? |
| bees in the UK and in the rest of the world has | | | | Commonplace foods that we eat every day, things |
| dropped by around 70 per cent in the last 35 years | | | | such as apples, beans, tomatoes and onions, would |
| and it seems that no one knows why our honey | | | | die with them. No human activity could ever replace |
| bees are dying out so rapidly. Why does it matter | | | | the work of bees and typically, we have taken them |
| that our bees are dying out I hear you ask, honey | | | | for granted and it is only now that we are starting to |
| bees just make honey right? Not so, a third of all | | | | appreciate exactly what they do for us – they |
| food production in the UK and worldwide relies on | | | | allow us to eat and to survive. |
| bees for pollination. This means that without honey | | | | As part of Plan Bee, a film was recently |
| bees for pollination, many of our basic foodstuffs | | | | commissioned and released called Vanishing of the |
| would not survive and the future of humankind would | | | | Bees, which documents the difficult plight of our |
| be precarious to say the least. Pretty scary stuff isn't | | | | honey bees. The fact that a film has been made and |
| it? | | | | shown in cinemas across the world highlights just |
| Honey bees are essential to food production, pollen | | | | how important this subject is – the need to save |
| sticks to their fuzzy bodies as they search for food | | | | the bees is really gathering momentum but is it too |
| and they carry this pollen huge distances, making | | | | little too late? |
| sure that plants are successfully pollinated. Poorly | | | | No, it's not – we can all help to save the bees by |
| pollinated plants produce fewer fruits and lower yields | | | | stepping up and taking note of advice from DEFRA |
| of seed and this in turn inevitably impacts on the | | | | (Department for Environment, Food and Rural |
| quality, availability and price of food. A farmer can | | | | Affairs), the British Beekeepers' Association (BBKA) |
| actually increase yields of crops by finding ways to | | | | and large co-operatives who are taking their |
| manage bees and encourage good pollination. The | | | | corporate social responsibility extremely seriously. |
| destructive effects of the Varroa mite and the use | | | | The save the bees campaign is in full swing has many |
| of pesticides are just two of the things that mean | | | | followers, you can find out more by visiting the Coop |
| conservation of wild bees is more important than | | | | website where there is more information. |
| ever. | | | | |
