Pesticides fingered in UK honeybee wipeout - Further suspicion falls on neonicotinoids

A new study appears to have confirmed suspicions that the neonicotinoid group of pesticides is in part responsible for the dramatic decline in UK honeybee numbers, the Telegraph reports. Insect research charity Buglife and the Soil Association "brought together a number of peer-reviewed pieces of research" which demonstrate that neonicotinoids "damage the health and life cycle of bees over the long term by affecting the nervous system". Matt Shardlow, Buglife chief exec, said: “Other countries have already introduced bans to prevent neonicotinoids from harming bees. This is the most comprehensive review of the scientific evidence yet and it has revealed the disturbing amount of damage these poisons can cause." Peter Melchett, director of the Soil Association, added: “The UK is notorious for taking the most relaxed approach to pesticide safety in the EU. Buglife’s report shows that this puts at risk pollination services vital for UK agriculture."

Previous scientific tests suggested a possible link between one of the neonicotinoids, imidacloprid, and disruption of honeybees' "sophisticated communication and navigation systems". Fears over the chemical earlier this year prompted the Co-op to ban the use of all neonicotinoids on its 70,000 acres of land in in England and Scotland, "until they are shown to be safe".

Germany, Italy and Slovenia last year similarly banned all neonicotinoids in response to the honeybee crisis, while French farmers have not been able to deploy imidacloprid as a sunflower seed-dressing for ten years.

Matt Shardlow, Buglife chief exec, said: “Other countries have already introduced bans to prevent neonicotinoids from harming bees. This is the most comprehensive review of the scientific evidence yet and it has revealed the disturbing amount of damage these poisons can cause."

Peter Melchett, director of the Soil Association, added: “The UK is notorious for taking the most relaxed approach to pesticide safety in the EU. Buglife’s report shows that this puts at risk pollination services vital for UK agriculture."

However, Dr Julian Little of Bayer CropScience - which manufacturers oilseed rape insecticide Chinook, containing imidacloprid - said that pesticides are "not approved unless it is found they have no effects on insects like bees".

He insisted: "When it comes to bee health, pesticides are not the problem, disease is."

Whether Dr Little is right remains to be seen. The Department for Environment, Food And Rural Affairs' initial findings as to the cause of honeybee population collapse suggested "the possible implication of abnormally wet weather - which may have hindered the bees' ability to collect enough food to survive the winter - coupled with the single-celled fungus Nosema, which might have taken advantage of the insects' rain-induced confinement and stressed state to spread with deadly effect", as we put it back in January.

Bron: Biology, 9 September 2009
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/09/09/honeybee_pesticide_report/

Telegraph Article of 9 September 2009
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/6157395/Pesticides-blamed-for-...

The report "The impact of neonicotinoid insecticides on bumblebees, honey bees and other non-target invertebrates" by Vicky Kindemba downloaded from Buglife website
http://www.buglife.org.uk/Resources/Buglife/Neonicotinoid%20insecticides...

Kommentare

Comment Bayer Crop Science

It is disappointing that once again we see groups such as PAN and the Soil Association take what are serious problems with the health of honey bees in the UK (and around the world) and spin an anti-pesticide message.

Bees are suffering severely from a parasitic mite called Varroa which has become increasingly resistant to normal treatments in the beehive. In addition, there are a number of pernicious viral infections and other diseases such as Nosema which are decimating bee colonies around the UK. Nosema alone can reduce the lifespan of a young bee by nearly 80%.

Your article suggests that other countries have banned the use of certain pesticides called neo-nicotinoids. It is telling that where the use of these products have been restricted, for example in France, they have just as bad(or worse) bee health problems as in the UK. Where bee health is good, for example in Australia, they use neo-nicotinoid insecticides but don't have the Varroa mite.

The reality is that if we are serious about bee health, we have to focus on the real issues - looking for a chemical "fall-guy" is not the answer.

Bron: The Grocer, 9 September 2009
http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/articles.aspx?page=articles&ID=203244

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