Beekeepers have been accused of fuelling the decline of wild bees by breeding the insects for honey.

Academics at Cambridge University say British honeybees are competing with wild bumblebees for food, suggesting their numbers should be cut.

Writing in the journal Science, they also say honey bees spread disease to bumblebees through the flowers they share.

The British Beekeepers Association has challenged the view, which it says is ‘unhelpful’ and singles out honey bees for blame.

However researchers insist the privately kept insects, belonging to up to 30,000 UK beekeepers, can harm wildlife.

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Beekeepers have been accused of fuelling the decline of wild bees by breeding the insects for honey. Academics at Cambridge University say British honeybees are competing with wild bumblebees for food, suggesting their numbers should be cut

Dr Jonas Geldmann, co-author of the article on honey bees from the University of Cambridge, said: ‘Honey bees in Britain fit the definition of a massively introduced managed species, whose numbers are artificially high.

‘A lot of people consider buying honey to be of benefit to nature, but honey bees are competing against wild bees for nectar and pollen in areas or at times of the year where nectar and pollen from crops doesn’t match the needs of the managed honey bees.

‘We therefore need to ensure fewer hives, which are smaller in size, particularly in and around areas set aside for nature.’

There is fear for the future of bees, which are vital for pollinating the crops we rely on for food.

Honey bees, like wild bees, are in decline principally because of the rise of farmland, which has replaced the natural habitats they use to forage for food.

However the journal article, written by Dr Geldmann and Dr Juan P. Gonzalez-Varo, adds that beekeeping can ‘exacerbate declines’ in wild bees.

HOW ARE HONEYBEES HARMING WILD BEES? Beekeepers have been accused of fuelling the decline of wild bees by breeding the insects for honey. According to a Science Journal article by researchers at Cambridge University, honeybees are harming wild bumblebees by: Competing with wild bumblebees for food

with wild bumblebees for food Spreading disease through the flowers they share There is fear for the future of bees, which are vital for pollinating the crops we rely on for food. There is fear for the future of bees, which are vital for pollinating the crops we rely on for food The view has been challenged by Martin Smith, public affairs director of the British Beekeepers Association, who said: ‘I think it is unhelpful to single out one pollinator as being responsible for the decline in bees generally. The main change which has led to declining numbers of bees and other pollinators is the loss of their habitat, not competition for food among honey bees and wild bees. ‘The way to solve this issue is to increase habitat with the crops and flowers which all bees feed on, for the benefit of both wild and managed bees,’ says Smith. Advertisement

The view has been challenged by Martin Smith, public affairs director of the British Beekeepers Association, who said: ‘I think it is unhelpful to single out one pollinator as being responsible for the decline in bees generally.

‘Britain was able to sustain more than three times the honey bee colonies in the years after World War II that there are today.

The main change which has led to declining numbers of bees and other pollinators is the loss of their habitat, not competition for food among honey bees and wild bees.

‘The way to solve this issue is to increase habitat with the crops and flowers which all bees feed on, for the benefit of both wild and managed bees.’

The row comes as up to 50 per cent of all European bee species are threatened with extinction, raising fears that honey bees are being protected at their expense.

Experts say they spread diseases including ‘deformed wing virus’ and the Nosema parasite to wild bees through shared flowers.

The row comes as up to 50 per cent of all European bee species are threatened with extinction, raising fears that honey bees are being protected at their expense

The Science article states: ‘Policies to limit the number of honey bees in specific periods might also be needed, such as early honey removal and keeping the individual hives smaller.

‘If implemented wisely, such strategies will come with no extra cost to farmers, but may increase the price of honey.’

The Bumblebee Conservation Trust said wild bumblebees should not be forgotten, with science manager Dr Richard Comont adding: ‘Honey bees are an important link in the food chain but where flowers are scarce, their sheer numbers mean they can outcompete wild bees.’

He added: 'The work that beekeepers have done for their bees - planting flowers, encouraging pollinator-friendly greenery and much more - has helped all pollinators but we must do more to minimise the spillover effects of hungry honeybees.’