Recently, Oregon lost 25,000 bees, and their deaths may be linked to pesticides. Now, more than 37 million bees have been found dead in Ontario, Canada. This staggering calamity highlights yet again the fragile position of these important insects.
Dave Schuit, a Canadian beekeeper lost 600 hives and he is blaming neonicotinoid pesticides. Neonicotinoid pesticides have been banned from the U.K. because of research linking the pesticide to confusion among bees in their directional capacity (a crucial skill for survival).
And it’s not just bees that could be effected by this pesticide, as birds also are suffering adverse effects from eating seeds from plants treated with it. There is a decrease of populations in birds that travel through or live in agricultural areas.
In light of how important this issue is, and how dire the consequences could be, I am happy to support bans of pesticides that put bees at risk, and continue my personal “no pesticide” use rule in my little garden.
Related stories on MNN.com:
- 5 ways to help our disappearing bees
- 5 ways to help children help bees
- New film sees a world without bees