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Harvard Study Links Neonicotinoid Pesticide To Colony Collapse Disorder

Posted by samzenpus on from the won't-somebody-please-think-of-the-bees? dept.

walterbyrd (182728) writes in with news about a new study from Harvard School of Public Health that links two widely used neonicotinoids to Colony Collapse Disorder. "Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), or the widespread population loss of honeybees, may have been caused by the use of neonicotinoids, according to a new study out of Harvard University. Neonicotinoids are a class of pesticides, chemically similar to nicotine. They were first developed for agricultural use in the 1980's by petroleum giant Shell. The pesticides were refined by Bayer the following decade. Two of these chemicals are now believed to be the cause of CCD, according to the new study from the School of Public Health at the university. This study replicated their own research performed in 2012."

2 of 217 comments (clear)

  1. Re:The 111th explanation... by pigiron · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Then how did we end up with 45 million African-Americans?

  2. Re:Who would have guessed? by plover · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    While actual evidence would be good, it will likely never be "proven" in the same way that for fifty years, smoking was never "proven" to cause lung cancer.

    Imidaclopirid is a really useful insecticide, and I am not at all thrilled that it might be completely banned. It works perfectly in greenhouses and indoors. Perhaps instead of banning it, they could increase the number of beehives by a factor of ten? Or maybe they could breed imidaclopirid-resistant bees?

    Or maybe I just have to buy a 50-year supply of the stuff.

    --
    John