Balsam bee plus

JENNY Fyall's article on bio countermeasures aimed at destroying the Himalayan balsam (or Blin Jimmys as they're called in the north-east), makes no mention of the wonderful late-season feed of nectar that its flowers provide for the honeybee (News, 21 March).

We always know when the bees are working the balsam as they arrive back at the hives with a white streak of pollen down their backs.

Perhaps the plant scientists should consult with the beekeepers before wreaking their destruction.

Alan Riach, Bathgate