This winter's losses of honey bee colonies were the worst since records began six years ago, according to a survey carried out by the British Beekeepers Association.
It says more than a third of hives did not survive the cold, wet conditions.
All regions of England saw dramatic declines with the numbers lost more than double the previous 12 months.
This year's poor winter, following on from a disastrous summer, is said to be the main reason for the losses.
British beekeepers have been surveyed at the end of March for the last six years.
“This loss of bees was in effect far more dramatic than foot and mouth was on the national beef herd,” Tim LovettBritish Beekeepers Association
They are asked to compare the number of colonies that are still alive compared to the numbers they had back in October.
With overall losses at 33.8%, this year's figures are the worst yet recorded.
The hardest hit region was the South West where over half of the hives were lost.
"It is desperate; it is a huge loss of bees," Devon beekeeper Glyn Davies told BBC News.
"The weather last summer and this winter, the two combined meant there was virtually a whole year when bees were confined and stressed just because of the environmental conditions."
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