All Things Bees!
Albert Einstein once said ‘our very existence is inextricably linked to bees- if the bee disappears off the surface of the globe, then man would only have four years left of life’.
Globally honey bees are the most abundant bee species and pollinating insect, with the majority of the food we consume being produced through the work off bees. This occurs either through direct pollination of food crops or pollination of the food source that animals that we consume feed on. Not only do they impact the foods we eat and the general wellbeing of humans, they also contribute widely to the economy. Bees in the UK alone contribute to over £165 million to the economy through the pollination of fruit trees and crops. Over 5000 tonnes of honey a year are sold throughout the UK’s shops generating a further £12 million in revenue (Benjamin and Mccallum 2009). Although these figures suggest the bee population is doing fine, the sad fact is that there is a lack in the production from local bees.
Alongside this, beekeeping within the UK has considerably declined throughout the years. Over the last century there has been a 70% decline in the number of hives across the UK, with only 200 professional bee keepers now in the UK. There are a number of small things that you can do to contribute towards encouraging a healthy and safe environment for bees. Buying local honey, having a bee friendly garden and buying bee friendly food (organic) all of which will be addressed further on in this website.