Emma Clark

StAlban’s Review

25th November, 2008

MILLIONS of bees disappearing from the world every year could mean the end to the fruits and nuts we love, a St Albans bee keeper has warned.

Eileen Remnant met Hertfordshire MEP Richard Hewitt last week to find out more about the virus responsible for killing off honey bees – which are relied on to pollinate a third of our food.

Eileen, who owns four colonies with a population of 40,000 bees in Potters Crouch, said: “People don’t realise how important bees are to our food supply.

“If the disease carries on killing as many bees as it is at the moment then I can see fruits and nuts becoming a real rarity – even fruits like apples and pears.

“It will happen in my lifetime if something isn’t done.”

In Britain, not-for-profit bee keepers are responsible for the pollination of crops but across the world, especially in large countries including America, pollination is a commercial industry with millions of bees transported around the country in trucks.

It is these bees which are prevalent with the virus. Mr Hewitt intends to raise the issue in European Parliament to insist on careful treatment of bees worldwide to help quash the spread of the disease any further.

Mr Hewitt said: “I’m calling for more research into this problem.

“The dissention of the bee population is more damaging to our environment that you might first think.

“I met with Eileen to get an idea of what’s happening on the ground.”