With the decline of the honey bee comes many concerns: not only would we lose one of nature's most sublime treats, there would also be a destabilisation of our whole ecosystem. Bees are immensely important in their role of carrying pollen from one plant to the next as they move about collecting nectar to make their honey, but they've been struggling for a while now. Records show that their numbers have been decreasing in Europe since the 1960's, and it's not just Europe. This is a worldwide problem, so what is the solution?

Well Philips has come up with an idea which might encourage the trend of urban bee-keeping that has sprung up in our more populated areas. They have designed a conceptual beehive, in which the actual hive is encased on the inside of your house. In effect, the bees still have no direct access to the indoors but if and when you want a touch of honey on your toast or in your porridge, no need to go down to the shop, all you do is open the tap at the bottom of your hive and let the sweet golden viscose flow directly into your bowl! Philips design is modern and sleek and there is no proof that it will actually function in the practical way that they suggest, but it's a great idea. A glass vessel attaches to the inside of the window with a flowerpot on the outside. There is a passage between the two, through which the bees can move in and out of the hive. Inside the glass vessel, there are pre-fabricated frames ready for the bees to build their wax cells on. Orange glass filters the light, allowing the bees to see whilst also making it possible for us to peer into the hive and watch a colony at work. Finally, there is the tap at the bottom where the honey runs to which allows you instant access without even having to put on a glove.