People consider bees a nuisance despite them being vital for Brit food industry
ONE in seven people believe bees are a pest and should be culled – not realising we would not have fruit, cider, tea or coffee without them.
Saving London’s bees one tag at a time
Despite the insects’ vital role in food production, 25 per cent of adults think they are a nuisance. Shockingly, 14 per cent think there are too many bees buzzing about and they should be destroyed. .
One in seven people believe bees are a pest and should be culled
Yet without the creatures many of our favourite foods and drinks would not exist, as they are needed to pollinate the plants producing them. Summer treats, such as strawberries with cream (loved by 44 per cent) and cider (28 per cent) would vanish without them.
Ian Ainsworth, managing director of Rowse Honey, which carried out the survey, said: “Our research shows as a nation we’re very naive about where our food comes from.
The UK needs more bee farmers to safeguard the future of the British bee industry
Yet UK bee numbers have fallen by 73 per cent in the past 100 years. It is estimated the country needs to up the number of commercial bee keepers by a minimum 33 per cent – to a total of 848 – in the next decade or face dwindling food production and higher prices.
We wouldn't have any cider without bees
If bees were culled, fruit would be inexistent
“The humble honeybee is an important part of the food chain. “It is responsible for pollinating much of the fresh and wonderful foods which make our British summers special, yet 25 per cent of Brits still see them as pests.” “The UK needs more bee farmers to help safeguard the future of the British bee farming industry.”