Pesticides killing queen bees, says study
30 Mar 2012
Research suggests that some of the commonly used pesticides are killing honeybees by damaging their ability to navigate and reducing the numbers of queen bees.
The finding is the result of research conducted in the UK and France by research groups on the effects of neonicotinoids, used in over 100 nations on farm crops and in gardens.
The UK team found the pesticides led to a drop in queen production to the extent of 85 per cent.
In their report in the journal of Science, the groups note that bee declines in many countries had led to decline in crop yields.
The total worth of population in the UK alone is estimated to be about £430 million to the national economy.
The US is among countries that had seen a succession of local honeybee populations crash, a syndrome called Colony Collapse Disorder.
Several possible reasons have been suggested, including diseases, parasites, reduction in the range of flowers growing wild in the countryside, pesticides, or a combination of them all.
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