Buzz off, beekeepers!

Rooftop hives could leave wild insects without pollen, amateur apiarists told

FACED with a dwindling bee population, wellmeaning amateurs have donned protective clothing in their droves to set up their own hives.

But there may be a sting in the tail – for urban beekeeping could be keeping their wild counterparts in peril.

A third of the UK’s bee population has disappeared over the past decade, largely thanks to rising temperatures.

However, experts fear that hobbyists’ hives, which can host up to 50,000 bees at a time, make matters worse by taking up too many natural resources. A glut of honeybees in one area could be bad for wild bumblebees and other insects, such as wasps and hoverflies, which find there is no nectar or pollen left when they visit flowers.

The warning follows analysis by Kew Gardens of London’s registered beehives and their likely impact on nearby plants. There are 28,300 amateur apiarists, with around 5,000 hives in London alone – often found on the top of buildings.

Kew researcher Phil Stevenson said: ‘People want to protect bees... but thousands of them on a rooftop can outcompete other pollinators for food, as we know from other locations.

‘Studies suggest wild bees are better pollinators for many crops, so it is important to have a balance.’

Instead of maintaining a hive, he suggests putting up a ‘wild nest box’ for visitors. Professor Stevenson’s

research found the problem was particularly bad in central London, with skyscrapers boasting hives which each require around 32 acres of greenery to satisfy their honeybees.

With plants and trees in relatively short supply – and homeowners making matters worse by paving over gardens – introducing more bees can cause demand to outstrip supply.

This can be particularly damaging for insects such as the ivy bee, which only feeds on ivy blooms and so has nowhere else to go if honeybees hoover up their nectar.