Pesticides not yet proven guilty of causing honeybee declines, experts say
Thursday, September 20, 2012 - 14:00
in Earth & Climate
The impact of crop pesticides on honeybee colonies is unlikely to cause colony collapse, according to a new article. More research is now needed to predict the impact of widely-used agricultural insecticides, called neonicotinoids, on honeybee populations. Scientists have pointed out flaws in previous research that predicted that neonicotinoids could cause honeybee colony collapse. Neonicotinoids are among the most widely-used agricultural insecticides and honeybees ingest residues of the pesticides as they gather nectar and pollen from treated plants.