Wild bee populations around the UK are experiencing "catastrophic declines", the Bumblebee Conservation Trust has warned.

Mary Celeste Syndrome - where a honey bee hive is found almost completely deserted - has appeared in Scotland.

The Stirling-based trust's Dr Ben Darvill described bumblebees as an "insurance policy", given the problems facing colonies of honey bees.

Bees are important pollinators of flowers and crops.

Dr Darvill said: "The whole suite of pollinators are declining simultaneously."

The UK has 18 true bumblebee species and many are seriously threatened due to habitat loss. ... Read full article