Long-term study links neonicotinoids to wild bee declines

Source: Reuters

SCIENCE NEWS | Tue Aug 16, 2016 11:25am EDT

Long-term study links neonicotinoids to wild bee declines

By Kate Kelland | LONDON

Wild bees that forage from oilseed rape crops treated with insecticides known as neonicotinoids are more likely to undergo long-term population declines than bees that forage from other sources, according to the findings of an 18-year study.

The new research covered 62 species of bee found in the wild in Britain and found a link between their shrinking populations and the use of neonicotinoid pesticides.

Neonicotinoids are used worldwide in a range of crops and have been shown in lab-based studies to be harmful to certain species of bee - notably commercial honeybees and bumblebees.

The European Union limited use of the chemicals - made and sold by various companies including Bayer CropScience and Syngenta - two years ago, after research pointed to risks for bees, which are crucial for pollinating crops.

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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-science-bees-neonicotinoids-idUSKCN10R1M5

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Related: Impacts of neonicotinoid use on long-term population changes in wild bees in England (Nature Communications)