While this is unlikely to explain Colony Collapse Disorder in the Honey bee, it could be a key contributory factor and may well be part of the cause for widespread declines in wild bee populations. The report also exposes that the current process for approving crop pesticides is inadequate for assessing risks to bees and other wildlife.
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| Honey bee ( Apis mellifera ) © Alan Stubbs |
The ongoing disappearance of wild bees and Honey bees is disastrous, eroding to pollination services worth £12.4 Billion in the EU and risking increased crop failures, but the causes of these declines are still a mystery. Pesticides, disease and starvation are on the suspect list, and recent work has indicated that Colony Collapse Disorder in Honey bees may be caused by an interaction between pathogens and stress factors.
Neonicotinoid pesticides are a comparatively new group of synthetic chemicals related to Nicotine that are highly toxic to insects. They are used as a coating for agricultural seeds and in pot plants. The chemicals spread throughout the plant and into the nectar and pollen that bees then eat. Scientific evidence presented in the new report shows that bees eating nectar and pollen contaminated with imidacloprid (the commonest neonicotinoid) then forage less and produce fewer offspring. Other research has shown that imidacloprid levels in rivers can cause deformities in growing mayflies.
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| Brown-banded carder bee ( Bombus humilis ) © Buglife |
The current approvals process for pesticides assess risks to non-target species and either attempts to reduce risk or prevents use of high risk chemicals. However, it is clear from this review that the process is inadequate regarding risks to bees as it fails to properly test for a range of sub-lethal affects and potential poisoning routes that are likely to affect bee populations in the UK countryside.
Buglife, the Soil Association, Pesticides Action Network and Bumblebee Conservation Trust are therefore calling for the suspension of all UK approvals for products containing neonicotinoids that are used outdoors and a review of all neonicotinoid approvals. In addition they are demanding that more comprehensive methodologies for assessing the effects pesticides on non-target invertebrates are incorporated into approval procedures.
“Other countries have already introduced bans to prevent neonicotinoids from harming bees.” Said Matt Shardlow CEO of Buglife. “This is the most comprehensive review of the scientific evidence yet and it has revealed the disturbing amount damage these poisons can cause to bees - it is now time for Hilary Benn to act”.
“The UK is notorious for taking the most relaxed approach to pesticide safety in the EU; Buglife’s report shows that this puts at risk pollination services vital for UK agriculture”. Said Peter Melchett, Soil Association Policy Director.
To find out more please click here to download the report on 'The Impact of neonicotinoid insecticides on bumblebees, Honey bees and other non-target invertebrates'.
Since the publication of the Buglife report in 2009 the goverment agency FERA (Food and Environment Research Agency) has released a response. This is posted on their website please click here to view. Due the content of the response Buglife decided to write a reply click here to read, our reply also contains a number of new studies published since the original report's completion.
2011 Update New research since Buglife’s 2009 report has raised further concerns about the wildlife impacts of Neonicotinoids.
In 2010 James Cresswell published a statistical review of Neonicotinoid toxicity research. This confirmed concerns from Buglife report that the environmental impacts of neonicotinoids have not been established. It concluded that while laboratory data predicts a 15% reduction in honeybee performance, none of the published field studies would be able to statistically detect a change in performance at this level (i.e. one study would have been able to detect a performance reduction >33%, one >50% and the others were incapable of spotting such effects).
Other science has shown that Honeybees exposed to Imidacloprid, fipronil and thiacloprid have higher susceptibility to disease (Nosema). It has also been shown that Imidacloprid at field levels has a very significant negative impact on earthworm growth and activity.
Sub-lethal effects on worker honeybees, including delayed larval development and adult emergence or shortened adult longevity, effects that can in turn effect the colony causing premature shifts in hive roles and foraging activity, have been observed when honeybees nested on brood combs contaminated with a cocktail of pesticide residue (not just Neonics).
It has been shown that low level exposure over a long time is likely to be as damaging as high exposure over a short time and that bees are likely to drinking water exuded from leaves (guttation) that is contaminated with lethal doses of neoniotinoids. There are further concerns about dust from drilling coated seeds causing lethal impacts on honeybees.
There have been an increasing number of mass bee death incidents associated with neonicotinoids reported to Defra’s ‘Wildlife Incident Investigation Scheme’. This trend has been publicly acknowledged by agriculture minister Jim Paice.
| Year | No. incidents of poisoned bees in UK | % associated with Neonicotinoids |
| 2008 | 5 | 0 |
| 2009 | 10 | 10% |
| 2010 | 15 | 27% |
Buglife calls for local councils to Ban Neonicotinoids
Buglife is delighted that a motion is being put to Local Authorities across the UK to ban the use of neonicotinoids in council operations.
Councils are all asked to pass a motion to ‘Make this council a neonicotinoid free council, we will not use, purchase or allow the use of neonicotinoids, neonicotinoid treated seeds or neonicotinoid treated pot plants on the council’s land or within our other operations, by our staff, contractors or tenants.’
Matt Shardlow, Buglife CEO said “It is such a shame that the UK Government is dragging its feet on this issue and waiting for long term changes to the European pesticide approvals process, rather than taking sensible, precautionary action now. This is a great chance for local people to take the initiative and give their local bees and wildlife a better chance to thrive”.
For more information on this proposal please contact Buglife info@buglife.org.uk
