19/07/2016 10:55 BST | Updated 20/07/2016 15:27 BST

These Guys Have Become Bee Apprentices So They Can Help Save A Dwindling Population


The British honey bee is under threat; three species are already extinct and many more under threat.

And the decline in bee numbers doesn’t just affect gardens. The UK could face lower availability of food produce and potentially higher food prices if no action is taken to curb the dwindling population.

Industry experts warn the UK is home to just 30% of the bee hives it needs, and the number of bee farmers needs to increase by a third to tackle the problem.

The Bee-a-Beefarmer scheme, developed by Rowse Honey and the Bee Farmers Association, is the world’s first bee farming apprenticeship scheme, and aims to recruit younger bee farmers. Now in its second year, the apprentices have already added 60m honey bees to the UK bee farming industry, caring for 1,000 hives between them.