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Source: NZPA / R Tucker
England's honey bee colonies are dying at an alarming rate due
to disease and a lack of co-ordinated response by health
authorities, a parliamentary report concluded.
England and Wales have around 250,000 colonies of honey bees, which
contribute around 200 million pounds ($504 million) to the economy
since they are solely responsible for pollinating nearly 40
commercial crops.
Despite their importance, the government's department for
environment, food and rural affairs (Defra) has given little
priority to bee health and failed to get beekeepers to report on
colony health, the report said.
"Success in tackling disease incidence in honey bees and livestock
will require the department to work more collaboratively with
farmers, beekeepers and leading academic researchers in these
areas," the report by parliament's Committee of Public Accounts
said.
Inspects found that between seven and eight percent of colonies had
died, with the percentage increasing over the past few years.
As well as changes to habitat and food supply, the bees were being
adversely affected by cold and weather, with the threat that up to
30% of colonies could be lost over the winter.
In order to get on top of the problem, the report recommended that
Defra intensify its testing for disease and work more closely with
beekeepers.
Only half of active beekeepers are registered with Defra and
subject to the department's inspection regime. Registration is
voluntary, unlike in other countries.
"In maintaining a voluntary approach to registration and
inspection, the department should develop a strategy to increase
significantly the number of registered beekeepers," it said.
"This would enable it to enhance its data on bee disease incidence
and better target advice on good husbandry and its research
programme."
