Scientists stung by £3k bumble bee theft

A SCOTTISH science centre has fallen victim to a "sting" operation after thieves stole hives containing several thousand bees.

The hives were kept in the grounds of Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, where they were part of a 2 million research project.

Scientists at Dundee University's Centre for Neuroscience, based at the hospital, had been using the four cedar hives to explore the decline of the bumble bee in the UK.

The hives contained several thousand British black bumble bees and were worth up to 3,500. Last year, the university was awarded 1.8m by the Insect Pollinators Initiative to carry out research to determine if pesticides were harming bees.

The hives were stolen at about 10am on Sunday.