Broadcast: News items

Bees in hive

Visitors can now view a hive of activity at the University of Sussex bee lab - on the web.

The Laboratory of Apiculture and Social Insects (LASI), led by Professor of Apiculture Francis Ratnieks, was officially opened in April this year.

Since October 2008 LASI researchers have been working on the Sussex Plan for Honey Bee Health and Well Being - a £2m, four-part project to explore the plight of the honey bee over the next five years.

Honey bees have been hit hard by disease and pests. Around 30 per cent of UK hives died off last winter, leaving fewer bees to pollinate a large number of commercial food crops, flowers and other plants.

Francis and his team are working to discover why bees are dying off - and how to stop the decline.

Now supporters can follow the progress of the key projects and find out how to help by visiting the LASI web pages Further web development over the next few months will give visitors access to downloadable resources and pictures.

The public reaction to the bees' plight - and to the work of LASI - has been tremendous. Donations from companies, benefactors and school children have helped boost funds to just over half a million pounds.

• School children at St Joseph's RC Primary School in Brighton designed their own T-shirts, launched a campaign for bee-friendly window boxes and served honey-drizzled ice cream to parents. Proceeds went to the Sussex Plan and LASI scientist Dr Karin Alton was on call to hand out prizes.
• Ten-year-old Cub Scout Eliot Edmunds from London completed a 26-mile walk around the Isle of Wight in June to raise £200 for LASI, after learning about the plight of the bees on a TV programme. It is hoped that Eliot will visit the lab soon with his parents.
• Conservation staff at Kew Gardens' annexe, Wakehurst Place, have offered to help turn the LASI apiary into a showcase collection of plants and trees so visitors to the lab can appreciate the importance of honey bees to pollination. Wakehurst Place envisage donating not only downland meadow plants, hedging, trellis and fruit trees, but also their time and expertise in planting and maintaining this area.
• Donors to date include Michael Chowen (founder of Sussex Stationers), honey company Rowse Honey and conservation and ecology charity the Ninevah Trust.

Francis says: "There's still a long way to go before we secure the future of these vital projects in the long term. The public response so far has been fantastic, and we're hoping that the government, through its Pollinator Initiative, will prove itself just as committed to the cause through the £10m of funds it has promised."