Honey bees are extremely valuable insects. They have been called 'the gateway to biology' and are key subjects of study for a range of issues from agriculture to genetics.
Apart from making honey they also pollinate many of the foods we eat, contributing about £200 million a year to UK agriculture ('DEFRA: The Health of Livestock and Honey bees in England', National Audit Office, 4 March 2009, p5). But they are threatened by a wide variety of problems and in recent years numbers of British honey bees have been declining fast.
Researchers at LASI are investigating these problems in order to help British honey bees flourish. Professor Ratnieks and his team are currently working on two research projects in the Sussex Plan designed to offer much-needed solutions to what is killing British bee hives.
Funding for the Sussex Plan
The importance of Professor Ratnieks' research has already been recognised and generously supported by many private individuals, businesses and trusts and foundations. Our donors range from international brand names to brilliant young school children and all of them are keen to ensure that the decline in numbers of honey bees is halted and reversed.
So far over £750,000 has been donated to fund honey bee research but we urgently need to raise more money to ensure that two further important projects in the Sussex Plan can go ahead.
If you have any queries or would like any more information about supporting the Sussex Plan, please contact Sue Hepburn (s.j.hepburn@sussex.ac.uk or 01273 872657).
Please support the Sussex Plan - your gift is vital to save the honey bee.