France bans pesticide use during daytime to protect bees

In order to reduce the mortality rate of bees the French Minister for Agriculture has decided to ban pesticide spraying during daytime in the period between March and October. The order might take effect in three or four months, according to an article in Le Figaro.

Agriculture Minister Stéphane Le Foll  is determined to fight against the mass extinction of honey bees. After symbolically setting up four hives in the garden of his ministry, he has now decided to ban the use of pesticides during the day in France. The ministerial order will probably become applicable in three or four months.

Previously, a study about pesticide spread carried out by the National Agency for Health Security (ANSES) found that honey bees are sensitive to light, which means that instead of during daytime hours, the spraying of pesticides should take place in the evenings when bees have stopped gathering nectar. However, according to the research of ANSES, evening sprayings are also dangerous. The treatment might leave traces of pesticides in the water and dew which can disturb honey bees. These findings have major importance in France, as the country ranks among those with the highest honey bee mortality rates. According to ANSES, between April and October last year, 13% of bee colonies were lost in the country.

Axel Decourtye, scientific director of the French Bee Institute (Itsap) emphasized, “This insect is essential for the human diet; one third of our food depends on pollonization by insects”. He added, “Apart from wild bees nesting in the soil, the lack of light is actually the only guarantee that bees will not be present gathering nectar.”

However, the decision of the Minister of Agriculture is not supported by all players. Eugénia Pommaret, director of the Union of Plant Protection Industries (UIPP), pointed out that the new practice will endanger users as well as the wildlife. “Nocturnal insects and wild animals do not stop living at night”, she said.