In 2007, about one third of the US domesticated bee population was wiped out as a result of a phenomenon known as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), with some commercial hive owners losing up to 90% of their bees.

BBC: 'Pollination crisis' hitting India's vegetable farmers

Scientists in the US have built and tested robotic ants that they say behave just like a real ant colony.

BBC: Robot ants: mini-machines mimic insect colony