After several scientific studies concluded that
{"neonicotinoids"} harm and kill bees, the EU Commission has proposed to ban three pesticides in that class from application to flowering crops starting July 1. The proposal is a major step toward eliminating a source of bee mortality at a time when the valuable pollinators are in decline. Eighty-four percent of European crops and 80% of wildflowers need insect pollination.
An array of causes contributing to sudden colony collapse have been suggested. Only until recently scientists have demonstrated the lethality of neonicotinoids on
Apis mellifera, the honeybee. On January 16th the European Food Safety Authority published three risk assessments on clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam, among the most widely used pesticides in the world. The agency concluded these pesticides should not be used on crops that attract honeybees such as flowers, oilseed rape, and sunflowers. The next step is a meeting of advisors including agricultural and industrial concerns leading to a vote on February 25th by committee of experts from all twenty-seven EU countries.
There has been considerable input from concerned citizens requesting protection for European bees from pesticides. Conservation groups say the proposal to only restrict the professional use of neonicotinoids did not go far enough to protect the environment but should contribute to improving the health of honeybees. Conservationists also pointed out that the proposals do not protect bumblebees which are also affected by the pesticides. Bumblebees feed on potato flower pollen and potato crops can be treated under the proposed restrictions. Soils, water and wildflowers may become contaminated with treated seed dust causing unknown impacts on bees. A full ban on neonictinoids is needed to protect Europe's 2500 species of bees as well as other beneficial insects.
