Southern bees denied fill of moorland heather

(First Edition)

Beekeepers in the south of England will not be allowed to move their hives to take advantage of the summer heather on the moors of Yorkshire and Derbyshire, it was announced yesterday. The rsstrictions, brought in by the Ministry of Agriculture, will delay the spread of the deadly mite which is destroying bee colonies in the south. In the south, ministry scientists have found that more than 517 apiaries are infested.

At stake is the British honey crop of about 4,000 tons worth around pounds 14m, and much of the fruit crop. Bees ensure early pollination of the trees and heavier crops of fruit, worth overall more than pounds 100m a year.