Neonicotinoid insecticides used both in sprays and seed dressing may be responsible for the collapse of honeybee colonies. Confused and disoriented bees A team of scientist led by the National Institute of Beekeeping in Bologna, Italy, found that pollen obtained from seeds dressed with imidacloprid contains significant levels of the insesticide, and suggested that the polluted pollen was one of the main causes of honeybee colony collapse [4]. Analysis of maize and sunflower crops originating from seeds dressed with imidacloprid indicated that large amounts of the insecticide will be carried back to honey bee colonies [5]. Sub-lethal doses of imidacloprid in sucrose solution affected homing and foraging activity of honeybees. Bees fed with 500 or 1 000 ppb (parts per billion) of the insecticide in sucrose solutions failed to return to the hive and disappeared altogether, while bees that had imbibed 100 ppb solutions were delayed for 24 h compared with controls [6]. Imidacloprid in sucrose solution fed to the bees in the laboratory impaired their communication for a few hours [7]. Sub-lethal doses of imidacloprid in laboratory and field experiment decreased flight activity and olfactory discrimination, and olfactory learning performance was impaired [8]. http://www.i-sis.org.uk/requiemForTheHoneybee.php
It's sad, but because honeybees are directly important to humans this is made into a 'big deal'. The really sad thing is that the honeybees are just one species doing bad. There is a mass extinction of insects going on right now. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/09/0920_050920_extinct_insects.html
but I been in Russia...there are no problems there. My cousin is in agrarian business...and he has no problems.
Other insects are also affected that scientists have not examined yet. Those insects are ones humans deem undesirable to them. The honeybees are needed to insure adequate food supplies to everyone on Earth. If they are destroyed, the foods we have now will no longer be pollinated and therefore won't exist in due time.
Of course they will, there are more insects that pollinate. For starters, there are lots of bee species alone.
This insecticide is killing many insects, we only are seeing those that we need to pollinate for us being killed off by the billions. If they are affected this way then many others are already being affected as well. Scientists just haven't studied the impact as yet on other species.
Some of the more northern US areas haven't been hit as hard either - Minnesota, for one. As far as other insects - the big silkworm moths are much less common at lights now than in years past, in my area. I doubt broadcast insecticides are the only - or even the major - factor, though - or whatever's killing the bees, either.
Britain's Largest Farming Co-Op Bans Eight Pesticides Responsible for Honeybee Colony Collapse http://www.naturalnews.com/News_000705_pesticides_honeybees_food_supply.html