A SITE at Metherell, which is helping to conserve the Cornish population of our native honey bee, was visited by South East Cornwall MP Sheryll Murray last Friday.

A small apiary and laboratory have been set up at Newton Farm as part of the B4 Project, which aims to resurrect indigenous species, the Black Honey Bee.

Sadly, due to the introgression of genes from introduced foreign subspecies, the genetic presence of the native honey bee has been diluted.

Paignton Zoo is also involved in the project and black bees were installed there in May as part of a breeding programme.

It is hoped that Sheryl Murray will champion the B4 cause and share the vision that keeping black bees is a more sustainable form of beekeeping.