Fungicides leading to bee deaths, study finds

A COMBINATION of pesticides and fungicides is contaminating the pollen bees collect to feed their hives making them unable to fend off a deadly parasite, according to a new study.

Scientists at the University of Maryland and the US Department of Agriculture(USDA) claim the contamination of pollen affects bees’ ability to fight Nosema ceranae - the disease which leads bees to starve to death.

Researchers collected pollen from bees pollinating blueberry, cranberry, cucumber, pumpkin, watermelon, weeds and wildflowers and found 35 different pesticides as well as ‘high’ fungicide loads in the samples.

“The insecticides esfenvalerate and phosmet were at a concentration higher than their median lethal dose in at least one pollen sample,” the study found.

“While fungicides are typically seen as fairly safe for honey bees, we found an increased probability of Nosema infection in bees that consumed pollen with a higher fungicide load. “Our results highlight a need for research on sub-lethal effects of fungicides and other chemicals that bees placed in an agricultural setting are exposed to.”

Published in the online scientific journal PLOS ONE, the study addresses the large numbers of bees which have been wiped out.

However, scientists said they did not uncover the reason entire hives die due to Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD).