Bumblebees face ‘nicotine addiction’

Bumblebees acquire a taste for pesticide-laced food that can be compared to nicotine addiction in smokers, scientists have said.

The more of the nicotine-like chemicals they consume, the more they appear to want.

The findings suggest the risk of potentially harmful pesticide-contaminated nectar entering bee colonies is higher than previously thought.

A team of British researchers offered bumblebees a choice of two sugar solutions, one of which was laced with neonicotinoid pesticides.