An update on an earlier article reports that EU member states have now supported a near-total neonicotinoids ban, according to the BBC
Neonicotinoids
EU to vote on near-total insecticide ban
An interesting story regarding a possible near-total insecticide ban in the EU from the BBC
Alarm over decline in flying insects!
A worrying Article from the BBC, highlights a serious decline in flying insects. Something that beekeepers and other interested parties have observed for some time, but new evidence now appears to confirm our fears!
Neonic pesticide link to long-term wild bee decline
The large-scale, long-term decline in wild bees across England has been linked to the use of neonicotinoid insecticides by a new study.
Ministers reject plan for ’emergency’ use of banned bee-harming pesticides
Ministers have rejected an “emergency” application from the National Farmers Union (NFU) to use banned pesticides on a third of all oilseed rape crops. Follow this link in The Guardian for more details!
Neonics – The Debate Continues
The risk to bees, and other pollinating insects, from neonicotinoids is still unclear if these reports are to be believed.
Damian Carrington in today’s Guardian reports on a study published by researchers at Harvard University under the headline “Honeybees abandoning hives and dying due to insecticide use, research finds”.
“The mysterious vanishing of honeybees from hives can be directly linked to insecticide use, according to new research from Harvard University. The scientists showed that exposure to two neonicotinoids, the world’s most widely used class of insecticide, lead to half the colonies studied dying, while none of the untreated colonies saw their bees disappear.
Read the full story here.
While Forbes magazine in February highlighted a story pointing out that in the USA colony numbers have remained at about 2.5 million since 1996, and are showing signs of an increase.
Read the full story here.
