Insect numbers are in freefall and most people know that pesticide use in agriculture is partly to blame.

But many domestic products including flea treatments for dogs, ant killer applications, washing-up liquid and herbicides can also contribute to the problem.

In fact, some substances that are banned for use in agriculture in the UK and other countries are routinely used in the home. Products containing fipronil and imidacloprid, the main domestic products in use for flea treatments and ant traps, have been found to be highly toxic to bees, triggering agitation, seizures, tremors and paralysis. They can also be harmful to aquatic life: dogs which have had flea treatment swim in rivers and lakes, where the chemicals wash off and kill wildlife. Or sometimes the treatments enter the water system after owners bathe the animals.