what's happening to bees?

Bee populations are in severe decline all over the world, but beekeepers and scientists are unsure what is causing these losses.

This matters because bees pollinate a third of the food we eat, so without them there would be no apples, onions or even tea!

what's happening in the UK?

Bees contribute £200m a year to the UK economy through pollination. Examples of foods pollinated by bees.
Bee numbers in the UK have halved over the last 20 years. Last year alone a fifth of bee colonies did not survive the winter.
No-one knows for certain what is causing bee losses. Explanations include: bad weather, pesticides, importing of non native bee species, viruses and a mite called Varroa.
Neonicontinoids are a group of pesticides that have been linked to bee declines elsewhere in Europe. Sign our petition.
There are 44,000 beekeepers in the UK and over 95% are amateur. It’s easier to keep bees than you might think!