The large-scale, long-term decline in wild bees across England has been linked to the use of neonicotinoid insecticides by a new study.
The large-scale, long-term decline in wild bees across England has been linked to the use of neonicotinoid insecticides by a new study.
Have not read the paper but…
It sounds like a retrospective observational study.
To be evidence rather than an association would need a prospective study and addressing confounding factors.
These could be drugs used by beekeepers, and maintained / concentrated in wax – esp from commercial exchange, vareoa and associated viruses etc + others unspecified
Really is time that the Welsh Bee Keepers Association tackled the Welsh Assembly on this issue. They, the WBKA, responded to my last message on this subject in 2014 saying that they took ‘advice’ from the Welsh Assembly and all was well!
From the Report scientist: “you can’t just say as long as we can save the bees everything else can go to hell,” Well sorry to disappoint you pal but if we don’t save the bees then we know where the natural environment will go, hopefully preceded by all those industrial lobbyists who still seek to pour scorn on such important evidence!