neonicotinoids
To help honeybees, Minnesota limits use of neonics
Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton issued an executive order limiting the use of neonicotinoid pesticides to a demonstrated need by farmers to prevent economic losses to their crops, says Minnesota Public Radio. The pesticides are believed to be a factor in steep declines in bee populations, along with parasites, disease, poor nutrition and bad weather.
Report: Real-world risk to honeybees from neonics is low
A year-old study by Washington State University researchers suggests that honeybees face little risk of harm from neonicotinoid pesticides in everyday settings. The study, which examined 149 apiaries in rural, urban and agricultural areas around the state, was published in the Journal of Economic Entomology.
Long-term UK study links neonics to wild-bee decline
An 18-year study of 60 wild bee species in Britain found that populations declined when the bees foraged on crops treated with neonicintinoid pesticides, according to the Washington Post. "The study provides some of the first evidence that the effects of neonicotinoid exposure can scale up to cause major damage to bees," the Post said.
President Hollande chose his ex-wife over his best friend in French glyphosate vote
Earlier this year, when France voted to not extend glyphosate’s EU license for 18 months, the decision was personal for President François Hollande, says Politico EU. Hollande essentially had to choose between siding with his best friend in government, Agriculture Minister Stéphane Le Foll, and the mother of his four children, Energy and Environment Minister Ségolène Royal.
Study finds new threat to honeybees
Pesticides applied to honeybee hives to kill Varroa mites and other parasites may actually be hurting the bees by damaging bacteria in their guts, according to a study published in the journal Frontiers in Microbiology.
Study: Neonics an ‘inadvertent contraceptive for bees’
New research suggests that neonicotinoids, a leading culprit in the ongoing decimation of honeybee populations, may also be snuffing out the next generation of bees by cutting the quantity and viability of sperm in male bees by nearly 40 percent, writes The Guardian.
Brexit vote hits U.S. ag futures, raises questions on trade and environment
The vote by Britain to leave the European Union had an immediate impact that can be felt by U.S farmers — lower futures prices for corn, soybeans and wheat during overnight trading, along with a stronger dollar that would make U.S. exports less competitive. The decision could affect U.S.-EU trade negotiations and the future of neonicotinoids, the pesticides blamed by activists for the plunge in honeybee populations.
On farms and beyond, honeybees hit by wide range of pesticides
Honeybees are exposed to an astonishing range of chemicals, not just the neonicotinoid pesticides often tabbed as the cause of population declines, says a Purdue study. The research suggests honeybees in the Corn Belt are exposed to considerably higher overall level of pesticide exposure than previously thought.
Honeybee colony losses highest since 2013
Beekeepers across the United States lost 44 percent of their honeybee colonies in the past year, nearly as bad as losses sustained in 2012-13, according to a survey by researchers. Losses were more than twice the economically acceptable rate for owners of the pollinators that add an estimated $15 billion to U.S. agriculture through higher yields.
Climate change is turning pollen into ‘junk food’ for bees
More carbon dioxide in the air is decreasing the amount of protein in pollen and may be contributing to Colony Collapse Disorder, says Yale Environment 360. Researchers compared samples of the plant goldenrod – a staple for wild honeybees – collected from 1842 to 2014 and found that protein levels in the most recent goldenrod samples were lower by 30 percent.
Scotts to remove ‘neonics’ from some insecticides
The world's largest manufacturer of lawn and garden care products, Scotts Miracle-Gro, said it will "immediately begin to transition away from the use of neonicotinoid-based pesticides for outdoor use" sold under the Ortho brand name.
EPA study: Pesticides hurting endangered species
Nearly all of the 1,782 animals and plants listed under the Endangered Species Act are at risk from the two most commonly used pesticides, according to a new EPA report.
Senate chairman tells EPA to be judicious in ‘neonic’ review
The EPA should "proceed with utmost caution and continuously re-evaluate the underlying assumptions of your approach" in its ongoing review of neonicotinoid insecticides, said chairman Jim Imhofe of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.
State blames ‘neonic’ insecticide dust for bee losses
Minnesota compensated two beekeepers for severe damage to hives caused by neonicotinoid insecticide dust from the field where a neighbor was planting corn, says the Minneapolis Star Tribune. It was the first test of a landmark environmental law, says the newspaper.
France advances bill to ban neonicotinoids
France’s National Assembly narrowly passed a total ban on neonicotinoids, a class of pesticides that has been implicated in the Colony Collapse Disorder that has devastated honeybee populations, says Reuters.
Partial ban on neonic pesticides advances in Maryland
The state Senate has passed and sent to the House a bill, SB 198, that would make Maryland "the first state in the United States to place a partial ban on the sale of certain pesticides, which have been blamed for deaths of bees around the world," says public broadcaster WAMU-FM.
Groups ask USDA for stronger rules on scientific integrity
Deadly bee disease spread by global pollinator trade
A devastating virus that has infected bees worldwide spread through global trade in pollinators used in commercial farming, a study in the journal Science finds. “Deformed wing virus,” spread by the Varroa mite, leads to significant mortality in overwintering colonies of honeybees, which pollinate fruits, nuts and other crops.