BBC News - Honey bee losses double in a year due to poor winter
This winter's losses of honey bee colonies were the worst since records began six years ago, according to a survey carried out by the British Beekeepers Association.
It says more than a third of hives did not survive the cold, wet conditions.
All regions of England saw dramatic declines with the numbers lost more than double the previous 12 months.
This year's poor winter, following on from a disastrous summer, is said to be the main reason for the losses.
British beekeepers have been surveyed at the end of March for the last six years.
They are asked to compare the number of colonies that are still alive compared to the numbers they had back in October.
With overall losses at 33.8%, this year's figures are the worst yet recorded.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
