"If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe then man would only have four years of life left. No more bees, no more pollination, no more plants, no more animals, no more man."
There is some debate about who actually made this remark. It is often attributed to Albert Einstein, but few scientists now believe this doomsday scenario will actually happen.
Nevertheless, the apocalyptic vision is an indication of how important honeybees are to the world's agricultural economy. It is estimated a third of the food we eat is pollinated by bees.
So it is no wonder the dramatic and unexplained decline in the population of these insects is worrying for everyone, not just the conservationists.
Fewer bees means less pollination, which results in less honey and fewer plants.
The consequences are damaging industries that depend on the insects' survival and threaten to make the food we eat more expensive.
Fragile industry
Hidden away in quiet corner of Regents Park in London, Toby Mason puffs a calming smoke through the slats of one of his wooden beehives.