Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

Vanishing Bees Reveal Dangers of Pesticides

Why won't the US do the right thing, ban dangerous products?

By Dustin Lushing, Newser Staff

Posted Jul 30, 2008 6:20 PM CDT

(Newser) – The rapid, mysterious deaths of billions of honeybees demand a closer look at how we use and control pesticides, Al Meyerhoff writes in the Los Angeles Times. A family of toxic chemicals called neonictonoids—led by two Bayer pesticides called Gaucho and Poncho—may be... Read full story »

COMMENTS

Read the comment policy

You need to Log in to Newser to comment. Don't have an account yet? Sign up now!

There are no comments

A snapshot of the day's best news stories.

View Larger Grid

All Today Yesterday Pick a Date

What's Popular Now on Facebook

Cops Shoot Naked Guy Eating Man's Face on Highway

Japanese Artist Serves Up Own Cooked Genitals

Los Angeles Times (Source Grid »)

Bees get foot baths to ward off colony collapse
Telegraph (UK)

bees • chemicals • honeybees • insects • pesticide

More Newser Stories

New Studies Blame Pesticides for Bee Decline

They show 'big effects' in natural environment

(NEWSER) - Scientists have a new lead in the mystery of the disappearing bees . While pesticides had only a "trivial" effect on honeybee populations in lab experiments, a researcher says studies in natural settings have shown that the chemicals can have "big effects," reports the Guardian . Common pesticides known as neonicotinoids appear to double the number of bees that "disappear," or fail to return from foraging missions. The chemicals also cut the number of queens a nest produces by 85%. More»

Bees Might Have Personalities

Some are more adventurous than others: Study

(NEWSER) - Bees are not merely mindless, mechanical insects with rigid behavior patterns. They may actually exhibit personalities and feelings. A new study from the University of Illinois reveals that some bees display a higher willingness to head off on adventures than others, which can be interpreted as a personality trait, reports Wired UK . More»

Modified Corn Could Be Killing The Bees

"Built-in pesticides" linked to disappearing honeybees

(NEWSER) - Genetically modified corn is the culprit in the disappearance of honeybees, according to a theory offered by a beekeeping expert, says Salon. In a German study, the corn itself, which contains built-in pesticides, didn't kill the bees, but it seems to have damaged their intestines, making them vulnerable to parasites. More»

Why Bee Trucks Keep Crashing

Bee disease has forced drivers to shuttle the insects around

(NEWSER) - A truck packed with 25 million bees crashed in Utah today , only a few months after a smashed-up semi released 14 million bees Idaho. And last year, a Minnesota crash saw 17 million bees fly flee. Why so many incidents? LiveScience explains: As a mysterious bee epidemic continues to decimate the bee population, more and more colonies are being trucked between farms to help pollinate crops. More»

Insects, Diseases Invaded After 9/11

Tiny terrors infect food supply, bump prices

(NEWSER) - America's obsession with terrorism after 9/11 has left our borders prone to the tiniest of invaders, an AP study finds. Focused on guns and bombs, inspectors have overlooked foreign insects and plant diseases that menace the country's food supply, send prices soaring, and leave pesticide residue on food. Among our worst attacks: 19 fruit fly infestations that prompted spraying and quarantines in California, and a New Zealand moth that survived 1,600 pounds of pesticides. More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

Vanishing Bees Reveal Dangers of Pesticides

Why won't the US do the right thing, ban dangerous products?

bees • chemicals • honeybees • insects • pesticide

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

New Studies Blame Pesticides for Bee Decline

They show 'big effects' in natural environment

Bees Might Have Personalities

Some are more adventurous than others: Study

Modified Corn Could Be Killing The Bees

"Built-in pesticides" linked to disappearing honeybees

Why Bee Trucks Keep Crashing

Bee disease has forced drivers to shuttle the insects around

Insects, Diseases Invaded After 9/11

Tiny terrors infect food supply, bump prices

About Us

Site

Community

Site Maps

Tools

More News

What is Newser?