Urban beekeepers 'behind rise in city bee swarming'

Swarms of bees are becoming as regular a sight in cities as in the countryside due to an increase in the number of urban beekeepers, experts have said.

A spate of swarms have been spotted in towns and cities across the UK and some experts claim the rise is down to an increase in urban bee-keepers in the areas.

The British Beekeepers Association claims the trend for keeping bees has caused a doubling in hives, with many new keepers coming from towns and cities.

In London alone, the number of hives has doubled in recent years but overall the population is in decline across the UK.

Professor Francis Ratnieks, Professor of Apiculture at the University of Sussex, said crowding in the hives and spring conditions triggered swarming.

But he encouraged people to plant more flowers for bees to feed on rather than having more bee hives.

ITV News Rebecca Barry finds out why bee swarms are nothing to fear.