BEEKEEPERS IN Tayside, Fife and Angus have been scratching their heads in confusion over a fall in the bee population in the east of Scotland.

There has been a worldwide decline in the number of bees in recent years with no apparent explanation for the fall in population.

Local beekeepers say the problem could be a combination of factors including disease resulting from hives becoming infested with a bug known as varroa .

Helen Kinnes, Secretary for the Beekeepers Association in Tayside and Angus, said, “Some beekeepers have had a complete disappearance of the bees in their hives.

“We think that this may be caused by a mite called varroa, which lays its eggs at the same time as the bees but they hatch just before the bees and feed off them as they emerge. This means that the new bees have nibbled legs and wings.”

Marion Lang, a beekeeper who lives near Ceres in Fife thinks there may be other reasons for bees disappearing.

“Varroa is a problem and can make the bees more prone to viruses. There are some viruses that are known to go with infestations.

“Another problem is what we call the Marie Celeste effect, where only a handful of bees are found in an otherwise healthy hive. The bees have just disappeared.

“There is no explanation as to why this may be, but my own personal theory is that it might have something to do with the increased waves transmitted in the air from phone masts etc. which can disrupt their homing system, but there is no evidence to prove this.”

She said, “Bees are a complicated issue and there are many different things that can cause this problem locally. However, nobody really knows the real answer.

“All we know is that it is a problem and it is worldwide.

“It could be disease as a result of varroa, waves interfering with the bees’ homing systems, or chemicals in the environment. Or it could be a combination of all of these.

“There needs to be a lot more research on this before we find an answer.”