Figure of the Week: 1 in 6

Beekeepers lost one in six of their honey bee hives over the winter, according to the British Beekeepers Association (BBKA). The nationwide figure is slightly improved on the 19 per cent losses suffered in 2008 and considerably less than the 30per cent losses from 2007. However, the BBKA said it was still well above the acceptable losses of between 7 and 10 per cent. It blamed disease, bad weather and poor quality of foraging due to habitat loss for the continued rate of honey bee deaths.

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