Cosmetics which rely on the honeybee for production are facing a crisis as the British insect – whose numbers have dropped by 80% in some areas – is dying out.
Plant and Food research scientists are investigating a second prospect for biological control of the varroa honey bee mite.
Kashmir apiculturists have demanded legal action against unscrupulous exporters of Punjab and Tamil Nadu, who are selling inferior honey under brand name ‘Kashmir’ similar to Kashmir honey.
“It is simply a brand theft,” said Altaf Ahmad, an apiculturist.
Feeding sugar to bees encourages them to collect pollen, rather than nectar, increasing the level of crop pollination vital for agricultural success.
Hundreds of thousands of South African bees are at risk from a disease sweeping through hives and posing a threat to fruit and vegetable farming in the country, an industry expert said.
Beekeepers stung by pestilence and poor weather are being warned to protect their hives from rustlers as thefts rise to unprecedented levels due to a national shortage of bees.
The outlook is a little brighter for organic honey producers trying to control the varroa honey bee mite.
The concern over the declining honeybee population may be exaggerated, according to a controversial new study that shows their numbers are actually increasing globally.
The notion that a decline in pollinators may threaten the human food supply – producing a situation that has been referred to as a “pollination crisis” – can be considered a myth, at least where honey bees are concerned, say researchers reporting online on May 7th in Current Biology, a Cell Press publication.
New Zealand environmental risk management experts say they may review research being done in Europe which suggests some insecticides can kill bees even when they are only used to treat seeds before planting.
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