Colin Evans visits a bee college

As part of our Bee Part Of It campaign, BBC Radio Berkshire's Colin Evans paid a visit to the Berkshire College of Agriculture in Burchett's Green.

The campaign aims to raise awareness of the threat to our honey bees.

Colin met Kate Malenczuk who runs courses on the theory and practice of bee keeping.

She said it's an increasingly popular subject. "The numbers have increased quite dramatically over the last two years which is really a good thing."

"Bees need bee keepers," says Kate.

"So it's good to have so many new people eager and keen to learn and to want to keep bees."

In each hive, which are 2.5ft square and about 4ft high, there are about 40,000 bees but they will be building to 50,000 or 60,000 in June

Kate says that honey production varies depends upon the forage and the weather, but that you might get 80 to 100lbs if you're lucky.

Across the UK people are joining Bee Part Of It, a BBC project supported by wildlife presenter Kate Humble, to create local bee-friendly spaces.

Bee Part Of It is a partnership the BBC has with the National Trust to highlight the bees' plight - Anne has been to see the hives in Basildon Park.

Kate Malenczuk got into bee keeping 10 years ago.

"When my children left home I wanted something else to look after and so I thought id give bees a go," she says.

"I think the bees are absolutely critical. There is no doubt about it, the pollination is important to all of us.

"We often think of bees and honey, but really bees and pollination are the most important aspect."

Kate offers bee keeping beginners and intermediate courses. She also offers a bee keeping practical course.

She is holding a bee keeping taster session on Saturday, 4 September, 2010. It starts at 2pm and costs £18.

For more information call 01628 824444.

Bee Part of It will help raise awareness of the threats facing local bees and offer opportunities to get involved.

Factsheet: All about bees

Factsheet: Bee friendly

Berkshire Agriculture College
National Trust: Basildon Park
BeeBase: National Bee Unit
British Beekeepers' Association
Buglife
Bumblebee Conservation Trust
Co-Op: Plan Bee
International Bee Research Association
The National Trust
Natural History Museum: Bees
Natural England
RHS: Bee friendly planting
Solitary bees
Twitter: @HelpSaveBees
Vanishing of the bees
The Wildlife Trusts
YouTube: Professor Francis Ratnieks
Flickr
Facebook: Bee Part of It