I was heartened to read comments from a beekeeper than the good weather in the UK could be good news for the country's bee population.

Recent years have seen a notable decline in the number of bees, but Robin Tomlinson believes this week's heatwave could mark a turning point.

Speaking the Yorkshire Evening Post, he said the insects have recently struggled in what was not a very good spring.

However, Mr Tomlinson said the current high temperatures, as well as the humidity, are perfect conditions in which they can flourish.

"Nature is incredibly resilient," he commented

"It has a remarkable way of changing even within the space of a week or two."

Mr Tomlinson added that since May, he has a seen a noticeable increase in the number of bee swarms.

I think this is great to hear, particularly as the decline in the bee population would be very bad news in ecological terms, as their pollination is vital to the future of our natural world.

Luckily, bodies such as the Welsh Assembly are already working hard to ensure the bees survive and thrive.

This week, rural affairs minister Elin Jones said protecting bees is important because they are vital for local food production.