British honey is under threat from Varroa - a mite which weakens the bee so that it then becomes susceptible to viruses. This is now spreading throughout the UK and MAFF announced on 5 March 1997 that it would be extending its ban of the movement of bees to include all counties of England, taking effect from 7 March 1997. Varroa was discovered in England in April 1992. 

Beekeepers in England and Wales are getting used to living with varroa, as are beekeepers in most parts of the world. Husbandry and biological methods are being used, as well as chemical treatments that have been approved after rigorous safety testing and licensing. The only chemical treatment presently approved uses a mite-killer that does not transfer to the honey at all. The Minsitry of Agriculture is supporting beekeepers with new research to find more effective treatments. 

Honey eaters need not fear any impact on honey - Varroa affects the bee not the honey and pesticides are only used on the bee after the honey itself has been harvested. 

As bees are responsible for 80% of all pollination by insects, a drop in the bee population could theoretically begin to impact on fruit growers and arable farmers over the next few years.