Monday 18 May 2009

British Bees

Anyone who doubts natural selection should read the Daily Telegraph today – Native Bee May Take Sting Out of Britain’s Hive Crisis.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/5339370/Bee-population-collapse-could-be-saved-by-British-species.html

Ian Johnston reports that a Bibba study has confirmed British bees are better able to survive external threats because they have adapted to the climate. Beekeepers will know this any way. British bees are hardy, bullish types who are more likely to sting than sweeter natured New Zealand bees. And their nature is reflected in the taste of the honey they produce. But the native black honeybee with its thick hair and large body, which helps keep it warm, copes much better with the shorter breading season in Britain.

Not enough people know that bees play an important role in pollinating crops and are estimated to be worth up to £850 million to the British economy. So if there is a bee crisis, which there is, the Government should be listening up.

Just think about this – if we didn’t have bees, we wouldn’t have love.

1 comment:

Paul Taberham said...

"if we didn’t have bees, we wouldn’t have love."

- or oxygen!