New evidence of risk to bees from pesticides

NEW assessments demonstrating the risk to bees from neonicotinoid pesticides have been published by the European Food Safety Authority, the Scottish Wildlife Trust has reported, writes Euan Carr.

The Scottish Wildlife Trust has been calling for a ban on pesticides containing clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam since 2012.

Since that time, it says, an increasing number of reports have shown the negative effects on these chemicals on honey bees and wild pollinators including bumble bees, butterflies and solitary bees.

Jonny Hughes, chief executive of the Scottish Wildlife Trust, said: ‘We welcome the publication of this important evidence-based study. People in Scotland care about bees and banning harmful neonicotinoids is something we can do to help them.

‘Pollinators are an essential part of our environment. Without them we wouldn’t have seeds and fruit that many other animals rely on for food. And when you consider that crop pollination has an estimated value of £43 million per year to Scotland’s economy, it is clear that the use of agricultural pesticides that harm pollinators could have serious hidden costs in the longer term.

‘This comprehensive assessment should provide more than enough evidence for the Scottish Government to show its support for a full ban on the use of these harmful chemicals.

‘While the majority of the studies used to develop this assessment relate to honey bees, there is plenty of evidence to show that other pollinators including bumble bees, solitary bees and butterflies are being harmed in a similar way.’

The assessments draw on more than 1,500 scientific studies and conclude that the pesticides clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam all pose a high risk to both wild bees and honey bees.