City University students are helping to halt the decline in Britain’s vital bee population.
Bees are responsible for pollinating at least 30 pc of crops eaten in the country. These plants would have to be pollinated by hand without bees, requiring a workforce of 30 million.
The UK lost a third of its bee colonies in 2009/10, and City University, in Northampton Square, Finsbury, has responded by installing a beehive on its roof.
It will be kept by professional bee-keeper Dr Luke Dixon, who will be helped by volunteer students. From next year, it is hoped the colony will produce enough honey to sell it on campus.
Jason Clarke, head of sustainability at City, said: “As a university in the heart of London, we can help to play a role in the future of an important species.”
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