Would-be beekeepers stung by huge increase in start-up costs

WOULD-BE beekeepers are having to pay much higher start-up costs in the face of declines in honeybees and the growing popularity of the pursuit.

"Beeflation" has seen the cost of a five-frame nucleus of bees needed to set up a hive increase from just 40 in 2008 to more than 150 now, according to the Co-operative.

Beekeeping has become increasingly popular in cities and towns, with growing awareness of the plight of the honeybee, which has suffered a major decline in numbers in recent years.

As part of its Plan Bee, the Co-operative is running a scheme to fund training and start-up kits – including bees – for new urban beekeepers.

Chris Shearlock, sustainable development manager at the Co-operative, said: "A series of factors have come together to have a devastating impact on honeybees, which are nature's number one pollinating machine."