Bee foraging chronically impaired by pesticide exposure

Bee foraging chronically impaired by pesticide exposure

The study shows how long-term pesticide exposure affects individual bees' day-to-day behaviour, including pollen collection and which flowers worker bees chose to visit.

"Bees have to learn many things about their environment, including how to collect pollen from flowers," said Raine, who holds the Rebanks Family Chair in Pollinator Conservation, a Canadian first.

"Exposure to this neonicotinoid pesticide seems to prevent bees from being able to learn these essential skills."

For those who don't know, Neonicotinoid is a class of neuro-active insecticides chemically similar to nicotine. Some countries have even banned the use of different Neonicotinoid pesticides.

Neonicotinoids, like nicotine, bind to nicotinic acetylcholine receptors of a cell and trigger a response by that cell. In mammals, nicotinic acetylcholine receptors are located in cells of both the central and peripheral nervous systems. In insects these receptors are limited to the CNS.

While low to moderate activation of these receptors causes nervous stimulation, high levels overstimulate and block the receptors, causing paralysis and death. Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors are activated by the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is broken down by acetylcholinesterase to terminate signals from these receptors. However, acetylcholinesterase cannot break down neonicotinoids and the binding is irreversible. Because most neonicotinoids bind much more strongly to insect neuron receptors than to mammal neuron receptors, these insecticides are selectively more toxic to insects than mammals.

Some people will say "Who cares about the bees?" but bees are very important. The fact is that of the 100 crop species that provide 90 per cent of the world’s food, over 70 are pollinated by bees.- UN report.

It is true that much of human existence is presently dependent on honey bees. However, the human race is not likely to become extinct. Food production would decline, but not completely disappear.

Dont worry, Monsatan is breeding a frankenbee to cope with this problem

Where I live (South coast UK) many people have noticed that all insect life has been greatly reduced. Its most noticeable by the complete lack of insects splattered on the front of our cars, bikers have noticed it too.

It's interesting that the radio receivers didn't interfere with the sensitive nature of the bee's electromagnetic navigation.

We must bee diligent with these findings.

(sorry, couldn't help myself)

~Namaste

originally posted by: SonOfTheLawOfOne
It's interesting that the radio receivers didn't interfere with the sensitive nature of the bee's electromagnetic navigation.

We must bee diligent with these findings.

(sorry, couldn't help myself)

~Namaste

Thats a very good point! I've seen a couple of docu's showing how bees are affected by RF. I wonder if this was taken into account?

It's human nature to ignore the darkness in our collective future if nothing is done to balance the imbalances in nature we have all caused (or allowed to happen).

The whole picture of environmental damage is ... overwhelming. The least alarmist prognostications about the state of our biosphere in the near future is... still alarming.

We are blundering along with partial information as to our environment and how it all works... and with the bickering among ourselves from people too scared to face it ...or scared that their personal means of economic life support will be withdrawn due to its destructive nature ... there won't be the long term, collective actions taken to effect the change needed.

I'm glad there are many people working to try to avert this domino effect of environmental break-down and sure hope these reports are too alarmist and that the ecosystem is more robust than some of the more knowledgeable think... but I'm not extremely optimistic.

Be nice to be wrong in this case...

originally posted by: Baddogma
It's human nature to ignore the darkness in our collective future if nothing is done to balance the imbalances in nature we have all caused (or allowed to happen).

The whole picture of environmental damage is ... overwhelming. The least alarmist prognostications about the state of our biosphere in the near future is... still alarming.

We are blundering along with partial information as to our environment and how it all works... and with the bickering among ourselves from people too scared to face it ...or scared that their personal means of economic life support will be withdrawn due to its destructive nature ... there won't be the long term, collective actions taken to effect the change needed.

I'm glad there are many people working to try to avert this domino effect of environmental break-down and sure hope these reports are too alarmist and that the ecosystem is more robust than some of the more knowledgeable think... but I'm not extremely optimistic.

Be nice to be wrong in this case...

It is a shame that we just run around, not fully knowing the damage our actions can have on Nature.

I was driving through the Kootenay's (B.C) in May and looking at the mountains looming up above, I had a realization of how tiny us humans truly are in comparison to this planet. We are nothing & this planet will continue to exist long after we are gone. Sure it may take a long time for the planet to heal after we're gone but it will bounce back.

I hope that there is enough people who want to see a change for the good that it will actually happen. I know it's going to be hard what with all the corporations with their hands in so many places but I hope it will happen.