Unfinished Bees-ness

I have written and discussed bees on numerous occasions not only because of their honey –which is very healthful and delicious – but also because they are responsible for the pollination of crops that make up about a third of the human diet.

Bees are in trouble. There is an ongoing decline of pollinating insects particularly bumblebees, not only in the U.S. but world-wide. The culprit – us. We have developed a new strain of insecticides called neonicotinoids. They are nicotine-based, EPA-approved insecticides that are widely used because they provide total plant protection from seed to harvest. In other words, all parts of the plant can absorb it and ward off insects including honeybees. Virtually all of the corn in the Midwest is covered with this dust at planting as well as significant amounts of other crops like soybeans and cereal grains. We compound our efforts to ward off insects by dusting and the dust drift covers nearby fields lasting for several years; taken up by non-target plants which are then foraged by bees and other pollinating insects. When ingested by insects, this stuff disrupts key insect behaviors like navigation and poses an acute toxic risk that could result in their death. We know what nicotine can do to the lungs over long periods of time – just read the side of a cigarette pack and nicotine by itself is very toxic to humans. We, of course, are smarter than the average bear so we've reduced the impact on humans so it’s only moderately toxic to mammals on the short term (long term may result in reproductive and/or developmental effects) by producing neonicotinoids. By the way, it is also not supposed to impact birds – large amounts of the chemical were fed to different types of birds without adverse results – however, when ingested in seeds exposed to it, it does have a negative impact; particularly to songbirds.

There is potential hope though. A lawsuit has been filed against the EPA for not banning the neonicotinoids. The EPA is allegedly reviewing the approvals it’s granted for the use of these chemicals but obviously it will take several years to resolve the issue. I can only hope that it will be in time and our insect friends won’t be out of bees – ness.