Diesel exhaust stops honeybees from finding the flowers they want to forage
Thursday, October 3, 2013 - 20:30
in Mathematics & Economics
Exposure to common air pollutants found in diesel exhaust pollution can affect the ability of honeybees to recognise floral odours. Honeybees use floral odours to help locate, identify and recognise the flowers from which they forage. Now it appears that diesel exhaust fumes change the profile of flora odour, and that these changes may affect honeybees' foraging efficiency and, ultimately, could affect pollination and thus global food security.