You’ve probably heard about the declining bee population, maybe from the news, the Vanishing of the Bees, or Save the Dandelions.  Maybe you haven’t heard that National Honey Bee Day is Saturday, August 16th!

There are a bunch of factors that contribute to the declining bee population.  A big one that is getting more and more attention is the neonicotinoid class of pesticides.  These are systemic pesticides, which means that once they are applied, that are absorbed and present throughout the entire plant.  And like all pesticides, they don’t disappear – they stay in our soil and water systems, wreaking long-term havoc.

The problem is that even the tiniest amount of these pesticides (“sublethal” exposure) can hurt bees.  Low exposure can…

• reduce the amount of pollen that bees gather, which is what the bees eat.
• impact development of bee memory and sense of smell, which makes it harder for them to find and gather pollen
• cause them to become prefer the sweetest pollen and avoid less sweet pollen, which is a critical source of nutrients for bees.
• interfere with the bee’s ability to find a mate.

European Union has passed a two year ban on several neonicotinoids including clothianidin, imidacloprid, and thiamethoxam.  I hope the US will do something similar.

For more info, check out BEE Protective by Beyond Pesticides!