Manchester park buzzing with beekeepers
The compact hive was designed to encourage urban beekeeping
With beekeeping reportedly the nation's hot new hobby, a Manchester green area has become the first spot in the UK to test the new Omlet hive.
Wythenshawe Park is now home to a lightweight Beehaus and a number of the city's residents have lent their support to protecting the declining bee population from parasites and a lack of suitable habitats.
The project has been funded by Co-operative Manchester as part of its Plan Bee campaign to get more people interested in beekeeping.
Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, beekeeper Paul Peacock, who helped introduce the apiary to the park, said: "This is the first Omlet bought in the UK.
"We want to see these hives introduced in parks, schools and all sorts of public places over the next year while the project will eventually expand to London."
He added that beekeeping is currently "fashionable" but it also has more important implications, with the creatures being vital in growing many foodstuffs.
Mr Peacock is hosting beekeeping workshops in the park later this month where he will teach apian-lovers to open and inspect a hive, recognise the queen bee and the importance of disease management.
Earlier this month, a number of groups called for more city-dwellers to embrace beekeeping in their back gardens using the compact Beehaus.
Natural England lent its support to the initiative and also encouraged people to support bees by planting insect-friendly flowers in their gardens.
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