Tag: #Pesticides

Pesticides impair baby bee brain development.

February 27, 2021

Imperial College London researchers used micro-CT scanning technology to reveal how specific parts of bumblebee brains grew abnormally when exposed to pesticides during their larval phase. Most previous studies have tested the effects of pesticide exposure on adult bees because these individuals directly collect pesticide-contaminated nectar and pollen. However, this study shows that baby bees … More Pesticides impair baby bee brain development.

France mulls reintroduction of neonicotinoids, faces backlash from NGOs and Germany.

February 15, 2021

Debates are currently well underway in France over the re-authorisation of neonicotinoids, a controversial class of pesticides, to save its sugar beet industry. The issue is causing quite a stir both at home and across the Rhine. EURACTIV France reports. The issue of the re-authorisation of neonicotinoid insecticides was tackled by France’s national council for ecological … More France mulls reintroduction of neonicotinoids, faces backlash from NGOs and Germany.

Pesticide manufacturers’ own tests reveal serious harm to honeybees.

February 6, 2021

Bayer and Syngenta criticised for secrecy after unpublished research obtained under freedom of information law linked high doses of their products to damage to the health of bee colonies. Unpublished field trials by pesticide manufacturers show their products cause serious harm to honeybees at high levels, leading to calls from senior scientists for the companies … More Pesticide manufacturers’ own tests reveal serious harm to honeybees.

The numbers are in: Beekeepers faced their second highest losses in 14 years this past year.

January 13, 2021

Help save the bees: Demand that Congress ban bee-killing pesticides today! The situation is dire with massive bee die offs — largely thanks to the continued use of bee-killing pesticides. Thankfully, the Saving America’s Pollinators Act (SAPA) would put a stop to these toxic chemicals. Scientists have warned that further decline of bees and other insects could lead us to a … More The numbers are in: Beekeepers faced their second highest losses in 14 years this past year.

Honeybees pick up ‘astonishing’ number of pesticides via non-crop plants.

November 24, 2020

A Purdue University study shows that honeybees collect the vast majority of their pollen from plants other than crops, even in areas dominated by corn and soybeans, and that pollen is consistently contaminated with a host of agricultural and urban pesticides throughout the growing season. Christian Krupke, professor of entomology, and then-postdoctoral researcher Elizabeth Long … More Honeybees pick up ‘astonishing’ number of pesticides via non-crop plants.

Pesticides may cause bumblebees to lose their buzz, study finds.

November 19, 2020

Pesticides significantly reduce the number of pollen grains a bumblebee is able to collect, a new University of Stirling study has found. The research, conducted by a team in the Faculty of Natural Sciences, found that field-realistic doses of a neonicotinoid pesticide affects the behaviour of bees — ultimately interfering with the type of vibrations … More Pesticides may cause bumblebees to lose their buzz, study finds.