I was reading about bees in the Times last week & it was saying that the government is going to enlist more beekeepers to act as inspectors due to the increase in problems which are killing bee colonies. It sounds a fascinating hobby - though a bit tense what with the chance of the other bees killing your queen, mites getting into the hive, the bees swarming etc., not the gentle hobby you'd imagine! Here's a link to the Times item.
Dad’s Army to defend honey bees against deadly foreign pests - Times Online