The mysterious disappearance of billions of bees could mean losing a third of the food we eat

Bees are vital to the success of about 90 crops worldwide. Most fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds are dependent on bees, as are crops used as cattle and pig feed. And if we can’t feed cows, we can say farewell to dairy produce. Nor is it only the food we eat that is inextricably linked to bees. The cotton plant that provides so much of what we wear also relies on bee pollination.

But bees are now in danger of dying out. In the winter of 2008, one in three hives were lost. A survey by the British Beekeepers’ Association in May 2010 revealed their members had lost 19 per cent of their colonies (the population that inhabits a hive) in the previous year alone. The precise reasons still baffle scientists, but a combination of factors is thought to be to blame. Read More...