Notice giant black bees buzzing around your backyard? That could spell trouble for your deck or fence, according to David ...

New pests and diseases are also a concern: Small Hive Beetle, which infests colonies, has travelled from Africa to Italy, a regular source of bee packages and queens for some beekeepers in the UK.

A study of bumble bees has uncovered a potential reason for the insects' decline ... the spread of bee diseases and climate change. "The bee gut microbiome is a crucial component of bee health.

AFB is a notifiable disease under The Bee Diseases and Pests Control (Scotland) Order 2007. As there is no permitted treatment in the UK, infected hives are destroyed to curb its spread.