The risk of neonics
on pollinators
For years, scientists
have been trying to
find out exactly why
honeybee numbers are
continuing to decline
and it turns out that
bees face a number
of problems. Intensive
farming practices have
reduced the habitat in
which bees can live,
there has also been a
decrease in wild flower
numbers meaning that
bees are running out of
food. Several diseases, to which bees have
little resistance, have
also been introduced.
Added to this, bees face
a threat from several
different types of pesticide, including those
containing
neonics.
During their research,
scientists paid special
attention to the effect
of this group of pesticides on bees.
Neonics are usually
used as a seed dressing in agriculture. This
means seeds are coated in the pesticide
before being planted,
providing protection for
the crop before it has
even started growing.
As the seed grows the
pesticide coat is incorporated in to the plant
itself, giving it lifelong
protection from pests.
Neonics work by affecting the brain and nervous system of insects.
The active molecule
binds to receptors on
53
cells in the nervous
system, disrupting signals being transmitted
around the insect body
(5). This is irreversible
and eventually leads
to paralysis and death.
Unfortunately, neonics
are not specific to pests
and they can also harm
bees too.
After completing dozens of studies, it was
found that neonics
could kill bees at very
small doses. At smaller doses still, it was
found that the pesticide
reduced
honeybees’
ability to navigate and
learn new information.
The research was completed both in the lab,
and in the field making
it very convincing (6).
On the back of this
research, the EU asked
the European Food