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Pesticides Turn Bumblebees Into Poor Pollinators (acs.org)
MTorrice writes about a new study that suggests neonicotinoids, one of the most widely used insecticides in the world, turn bumblebees into poor pollinators, leading to lower yields of apples and other plants. Chemical & Engineering News reports: "Neonicotinoid pesticides have been blamed for declines in bee populations worldwide. The chemicals don't kill bees, instead neonicotinoids impair the insects' abilities to learn, navigate, forage for nectar, and reproduce, according to studies published over the past several years. Now, researchers report that bees exposed to the pesticides also become less effective pollinators for crops. The study is the first to demonstrate that neonicotinoids can decrease the quality of a food crop by affecting bee pollination. About 30% of our food comes from crops, including fruits, nuts, seeds, and oils, that depend on insect pollinators, according to Dara A. Stanley of Royal Holloway, University of London, who led the new study. 'Basically,' she says, 'you can't have a balanced diet without insect pollination.'"
From TFA:
“Until now, all of the focus has been on the impact of neonicotinoids on bees themselves,” she continues. “But obviously the reason why we’re interested in bees is because they provide pollination services.”
Rough translation, this study examines how neonicotinoids affect bee behaviour, and not just whether they kill or injure them.
If it weren't for deadlines, nothing would be late.
Smoke isn't "good" for bees. It just triggers behaviours that make them docile.
The smoke masks the scent produced by guard-bees, so a bee-keeper's intrusion produces less alarm. Also, the smoke tricks the bees into thinking the hive is on fire, so they gorge on the honey, and become distended and less able to sting.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
If it weren't for deadlines, nothing would be late.
Maybe you didn't pick up on the connection: neonicotinoids. But yes, "smoke" isn't good for the bees. The neonicotinoids impair their "abilities to learn, navigate, forage for nectar, and reproduce."
This is coming from the country that lifted a ban on neonictonoids... http://www.theguardian.com/env...
Silence is a state of mime.