UK Bee Population Collapse 'Could be Saved by British Species'

Britain could be saved from the devastating effects of a collapse in its bee population by turning to a native British species, which is more aggressive and hairier than the southern European honeybees favoured by apiarists.
By Ian Johnston, The Telegraph (UK), 5/17/09

One in three hives were lost over the last winter alone for reasons that are not clearly understood although bad weather, the use of insecticides, a lack of wildflowers and the varroa mite, which has spread rapidly since arriving in Britain in 1992, are thought to be partly to blame.

However, the majority of the bees in Britsin's 274,000 hives are actually a subspecies which originated in southern and eastern Europe.

New research has found the native black honeybee could be better able to survive any external threats as it is better equipped to deal with the British weather...