Crop pesticides are 'killing our bees' - says MEP
by Chris Davies
Why are bees dying? Since 1994, when French beekeepers began to report that honeybees were not returning to their hives or were behaving in an abnormal and disorientated way, stories of declining number of bees and even of complete colony collapse have become commonplace across Europe. It is upsetting and worrying. Hardworking bees are much loved, competing only with butterflies in the insect popularity stakes and their role as pollinators has enormous commercial value.
The finger of suspicion had been pointed at certain best-selling neonicotinoid pesticides widely used in seed-dressing and soil treatment but also for spraying. The evidence is not conclusive but it is starting to look damning. It is not that they are necessarily lethal to bees but that they are sub-lethal, weakening the bees' resistance to disease and reducing their rate of reproductivity. Perhaps, they also destroy the bees' sense of direction - making it impossible for them to locate their hive after foraging.
The concerns are not new. The French government introduced restrictions on the use of a neonicotinoid seed dressing - 'Gaucho' - back in 1999. Slovenia has since introduced complete prohibitions. Germany and Italy have imposed various restrictions, with the latter subsequently reporting a remarkable fall in the number of cases of bee deaths recorded. But coordinated action at a European level has been missing.
Now the European Food Safety Authority has reviewed the risks associated with the use of three neonicotinoids - clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam. Its conclusions are qualified by declarations that more research is needed, not least because some of the previous studies have been undertaken by the pesticide manufacturers and may not be regarded as wholly impartial. Yet its initial recommendations make quite clear the need for curbs to be introduced. Neonicotinoids should only be used on crops not attractive to honeybees, says the EFSA. There is a risk to bees from exposure to neonicotinoid dust to be found in glasshouses. The guttation fluid or sap from maize, treated with thiamethoxam, has an acute effect on honeybees.
None of this will be welcome news to the pesticide manufacturers. Claims of a link between their products and the death of bees have in the past been hotly denied. Friedhelm Schmider, director-general of the European Crop Protection Association, was this month quoted as saying that "restricting neonicotinoid pesticides on the basis of potential risks will do nothing to improve overall bee health but would do enormous damage to farming and food production in Europe".
Even by the usual standards of industry lobbying, it seems an extreme position to take in view of the scientific evidence now coming to the fore. Perhaps the manufacturers, who claim that an European Union-wide ban on neonicotinoids would cost €17bn over 5 years, are concerned that more attention may be paid to some of the figures from France and Italy. The figures suggest that crop production has hardly been affected in those places where neonicotinoid restrictions have been introduced.
Still, it is unlikely that many people will deny that pesticides often have a significant role to play in achieving maximum crop production. The requirement, it seems, is to stop the bees coming into contact with the neonicotinoids. This may be achieved by a complete ban on their use on crops they most favour - such as rape, sunflower and maize - or a restriction on their use when the plants are in flower. In other instances, perhaps controls on the method of application will be sufficient - especially when considering plants that bees scorn such as beetroot and potatoes.
Last Thursday, the European Parliament's environment committee were keen to hear the response of the European Commission to a question I had tabled on the subject. Many will have been pleased to hear Eric Poudelet, a director in DG SANCO, declare that "we have to act straight away". Although he also admitted that in practice the commission was still "evaluating" and "reflecting" upon the evidence, while waiting for more recommendations from the EFSA. These are due in March. Legislative proposals are certainly possible - that was the message from the commission but no announcement will be made yet. Perhaps, ministers at Monday's meeting of the Agriculture Council will get to hear more.
Chris Davies is a Liberal Democrat MEP in the United Kingdom and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe group co-ordinator on the European Parliament's Environment Committee
The European Commission will go ahead with restrictions on insecticides linked to declining bee populations after member states were unable to reach a qualified majority decision
What about GM products, they are just as dangerous to the survival of this planet?
Diane - Canada
Add my name to the petition. I hope the South African government will take heed.
Elmo Goosen - South Africa
No bees - no flowers, no honey, no food and no life.
Louis van Niekerk - RSA
If the bees die, this will start off the collapse of the food chain that we are a part of. At this point, having all the money in the world wouldn't save any of us. Their collapse would be our own collapse. The human race would die.
kristofer Klement - Canada
Let us act coordinated in order to save the bees across the whole of Europe.
Simon Jonsson - Luleå, Sweden, SNF-Norrbotten
Bees, and their cousins the bumblebee, hornets, yellow jackets and so on may seem to be pests because of their feisty natures - but they are all necessary for the production of food for our planet and not just in Europe.
Policies regarding BT GMO crops (which are also killing our soils as well as allowing greater pesticide use), as well as pesticide use for both food and ornamental agriculture, will have a direct impact on food production world-wide.
Hopefully, our politicians will rule against chemical pesticides and stop the reaearch, developement and growth of GMO crops. If they don't, all of us may wake up one day and seriously wonder "what's for dinner".
Al Metcalf - Canada
Save the bees, save nature. We need them more than you would want to believe.
Jan Dierick - Leuven, Belgium
We need to do all we can to help save our bees. Listen to what the bees are saying to use. They are in need of our help.
Sophie Christopher- Bowes - Abingdon
There are many possibles causes for bees in trouble. Pesticides but also a lack of food (monocultures, herbicides), diseases, beebreeding and climate change.
Martha - Netherlands
What's the EU 2020 Biodiversity Strategy policy on ecosystem services? Isn't crop pollination one of these services? We should develop wisely. We must protect biodiversity if we are to protect ourselves - biodiversity and health are two faces of the same coin.
Ana - Portugal
We should be very cautious about allowing these pesticides to be used even on crops that are not visited by honey bees, since there are many species of wild bees that visit plants the honey bees do not (such as bumble-bees that visit potato flowers).
Wild bees are also in decline and just as important as crop pollinators - the bumble bee, for example is the main pollinator of outdoor tomato crops (and covered ones if they have access). Insect pollination is far too important economically for us to play russian roulette with it.
Nick Symons - Paphos, Cyprus, Terra Cypria
Real science is required. Surely it is not okay to continue these endless rounds of debates. Yes, of course, the 'industry' will claim there is no connection - make them prove it first and always, and in future before products are permitted out in the fields.
If preliminary results from the countries which have restrictions and bans are good results, then go with the good results and keep testing? As uncommon as common sense is, we really must begin to practice it. Save the bees, the pesticide industries will take care of themselves.
No name supplied
Honey bees are not the only pollinators to be affected by these pesticides. Bumble bees, solitary bees and a host of other pollinating insects are being damaged. Dont put profits before biodiversity.
Derek West - Norwich, UK
Thank-you to Chris Davies MEP and Alyn Smith MEP for speaking up for bees. Bayer's nicotinoid dressing (used on rape seed flowers) is highly toxic for bees.
Janet Middleton
We must stop this.
Patrycja Paula Dziadowiec - Ladispoli
Use natural, no chemicals.
Felix - Netherlands
No bees means no flowers, no honey, no food and no future.
MiaQuittman - Malibu, Califorina
To whom it concerns. Let's work together and stop the destruction of the honey bee and all life on our fragile planet.
david brown - Alexandria, VA, USA
Just stop poisoning the bees now.
Val Randle - Bromyard, UK
Let us continue to be concerned about the "bee detail." Our environment depends on saving the bees.
Arlene Oswald - Asbury Park, NJ, USA
We lost a lot of berries and apples in the garden.
No poison, please. As an organic farmer.
Eeva-Riitta Sorvali - Lappeenranta, Finland
Iam very pleased to see finally some action. Without the bees, there will be no food. We need them, they are harmless insects that do not sting you if you don't bother them. I can sit for hours observing their hive.
And I think that if all humanity learned to work in comminities, like the bees, instead of working alone - this world would definitely be a better place to live. We need to safe these magnificent insects before its to late.
cecilia - Ficksburg Free-state, South-Africa
Stop killing our bees, have profits made you F forget that bees are our lifeline?
Amanda - United States
Without bees, the food supply will diminish or disappear. Stop the destruction of our our planet and humanity.
John Ball - Cfntennial, USA
Add my name to the petition. I expect the involved companies to understand that everyone's life - in our generation and the future ones - is at stake.
popesco@sbcglobal.net - Cleveland, United States
We are being infected by the west. In Nepal, rural areas don't have the access to biolical manure and pesticides, and the growth is low but we are adopting you real fast. It's controversial.
Natanrai - Gaight, Nepal
They are quietly killing our bees and the EPA is helping them do it.
Bill - USA
We can't live without the bees but we can sure as hell live without Syngenta and Bayer, even Monsanto for that matter.
Jim - USA
The bee population requires enhancement not further risk. Ban chemicals harmful to their existence.
Tom Walters - New Zealand
Please add my name to the petition and list, we are Australians living in central Vietnam where we still see daily the effects of toxic agents on the community, their food and lifestock (40 years on). Let's rally people.
Kerre Burley Hoi
I want help.
Juana Corrales - Ciudadela de Menorca, Islas Baleares
Why is no one researching the increasing numbers in our spider populations that our poor bees are being caught in their webs in all our gardens and countreyside fields. It's not pesticide's killing the humble bee, it's the spiders.
As we no longer have enough birds to keep them under control. The food chain is broken and spiders have no enemy's anymore (they are the culprit), go look in your gardens and see for yourself. I counted at least ten trapped and dead last year in my garden alone.
Chrisy - Portsmouth, England
