Agriculture Myth Busting
![Bees?!](/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Bees.jpg)
![Bees: How Many Colonies Does Agriculture Hurt? 1](/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/AMB6-Bees-450x31.png)
The Neonicotinoid Obsession
The conversation moving toward neonicotinoids seemed inevitable. The chemical group represents approximately a quarter of insecticides currently commercially available and is designed to selectively bind to and interrupt neuro-receptors in targeted pests. Neonicotinoids are frequently cited in media reports as the cause of bee mortality, except making that claim is difficult to back up. Neonicotinoids are not completely blameless, however, their inclusion in the discussion is attributable to their supposed full responsibility in past and present apiculturist mentions of the risk of “pesticides” to bee health (Table 1), despite 67% of pesticides used in Canada possessing a negligible risk to bees. Bee-pesticide incidents overall affect less than two percent of Canadian colonies although, notably, neonicotinoids affect more colonies than non-neonicotinoids. Overwhelming concern has led to increased guidelines for neonicotinoid use, including decreasing the number of applications allowed per season, decreasing the rates of applications, changing the list of allowable crops, and increasing buffer zones between treated and untreated rows.![Number of minor, moderate, and major bee-pesticide incidents from neonicotinoids and non-neonicotinoids in Canada, 2007-2012](/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/AMB6-Neonic-cases-450x134.png)
Hive Stressors Shortlist
![Bees: How Many Colonies Does Agriculture Hurt? 2](/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/AMB6-Hive-e1713379976820-450x250.png)
Concluding Remarks
![Why seed treat neonics (compared to spray application)?](/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Neonics-Seed-Treating-450x506.jpg)