The plight of the honey bee is a major cause of concern for the world's scientists, environmentalists and the food industry, not to mention beekeepers.
Bees play a crucial role in the survival of many of the crops in our food chain - one in three mouthfuls of food depends on the pollinating insects, according to the British Beekeeping Association - but their numbers are significantly declining.
A recent US report said that American beekeepers lost 44.1% of their hives between March 2015 - April 2016 - the highest rate of decline since the annual study began six years ago.
There are a number of reasons for this dramatic fall. One is the deadly varroa destructor, a parasitic mite that feeds on bees, and can kill off a whole hive.
At present, varroa infestations can be controlled, but not removed completely.