Pesticides Confuse Bees

Even small amounts of pesticides could be putting bees off from homing in on their favourite flowers.

17:10 16 March 2016

Scientists have found that even a small amount of pesticide can stop bees from homing in on their favourite wild flower.

 

Professor Nigel Raine, of Guelph University in Ontario said: "Bees rely on learning to locate flowers, track their profitability and work out how best to efficiently extract nectar and pollen."

 

He added: "If exposure to low levels of pesticide affects their ability to learn, bees may struggle to collect food and impair the essential pollination services they provide to both crops and wild plants."

 

"Our results suggest current levels of pesticide exposure could be significantly affecting how bees are interacting with wild plants and impairing the crucial pollination services they provide that support healthy ecosystem function."

 

Co-author Dr Dara Stanley, of Royal Holloway University of London, said: "Bumblebees exposed to pesticide initially foraged faster and collected more pollen.

 

"However unexposed bees may be investing more time and energy in learning.

 

"Our findings have important implications for society and the economy as pollinating insects are vital to support agriculture and wild plant biodiversity."