Neonicotinoid insecticides killing honey bees

Discussion in 'Biology & Genetics' started by cosmictraveler, Oct 29, 2007.

  1. cosmictraveler Be kind to yourself always. Valued Senior Member

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    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
     
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  3. Enmos Valued Senior Member

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  5. draqon Banned Banned

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    in USA. as for the rest of the world, rest assured it is not in more danger.
     
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  7. Enmos Valued Senior Member

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    What !?
     
  8. draqon Banned Banned

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    ...I thought this extinction is in USA only.
     
  9. Enmos Valued Senior Member

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    No, globally. And not only insects btw.
     
  10. draqon Banned Banned

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    but I been in Russia...there are no problems there. My cousin is in agrarian business...and he has no problems.
     
  11. Enmos Valued Senior Member

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    Are you talking honeybees only ?
     
  12. cosmictraveler Be kind to yourself always. Valued Senior Member

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    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.
     
  13. Enmos Valued Senior Member

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    Of course they will, there are more insects that pollinate. For starters, there are lots of bee species alone.
     
  14. cosmictraveler Be kind to yourself always. Valued Senior Member

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    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.
     
  15. Enmos Valued Senior Member

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    I agree.
     
  16. iceaura Valued Senior Member

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    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.
     
  17. kmguru Staff Member

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  18. Roman Banned Banned

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    Honey bees aren't even a native species in the Americas.
     

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