[Pollinator] Press Release: Are Neonicotinoids Killing Bees

[Matthew Shepherd]

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  ARE NEONICOTINOIDS KILLING BEES?
 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 26, 2012

CONTACTS:
Mace Vaughan, Pollinator Program Director, Xerces Society for Invertebrate
Conservation; (503) 753-6000, mace at xerces.org

Scott Black, Executive Director, Xerces Society for Invertebrate
Conservation; (503) 449-3792, sblack at xerces.org


*ARE NEONICOTINOIDS KILLING BEES?*

*Report looks at the facts behind pesticide controversy*

PORTLAND, Ore.--- A report released today by the Xerces Society for
Invertebrate Conservation details potential negative impacts of
neonicotinoid insecticides to honey bees and other important agricultural
pollinators.

Beekeepers and environmentalists have expressed growing concern about the
impact of this class of insecticides. Those concerns are based on the fact
that neonicotinoids are absorbed into plant tissue and can be present in
pollen and nectar, making them toxic to pollinators.

A possible link between neonicotinoids and honey bee die-offs has led to
controversy across the United States and Europe. Several European countries
have reexamined the use of neonicotinoids in crops such as corn, canola and
sunflower.

"This comprehensive report summarizes all of the peer reviewed research on
the impact of these
pesticides on bees", said Jennifer Hopwood, Xerces Society Pollinator
Specialist and co-author of the report. "We hope this information will
allow for better informed decision making by those who regulate and use
these insecticides."

*Some of the major findings of the report include: *

   - Several of these insecticides are highly toxic to honey bees and
   bumblebees.
   - Neonicotinoid residues are found in pollen and nectar consumed by
   pollinators such as bees and butterflies. The residues can reach lethal
   concentrations in some situations.
   - Neonicotinoids can persist in soil for months or years after a single
   application. Measurable amounts of residues were found in woody plants up
   to six years after application.
   - Untreated plants may absorb chemical residues left over in the soil
   from the previous year.
   - Products approved for homeowners to use in gardens, lawns, and on
   ornamental trees have manufacturer-recommended application rates up to 120
   times higher than rates approved for agricultural crops.
   - There is no direct link demonstrated between neonicotinoids and the
   honey bee syndrome known as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). However, recent
   research suggests that neonicotinoids may make honey bees more susceptible
   to parasites and pathogens, including the intestinal parasite Nosema, which
   has been implicated as one causative factor in CCD.
   - Many neonicotinoid pesticides that are sold to homeowners for use on
   lawns and gardens do not have any mention of the risks of these products to
   bees, and the label guidance for products used in agriculture is not always
   clear or consistent.

"The report shows that these insecticides are likely having a negative
impact on honey bees, bumble bees and other agriculturally important
pollinators," said Scott Hoffman Black, Executive Director of the Xerces
Society and co-author of the report. "It is vital that regulators reassess
the bee-safety of all neonicotinoid pesticide products, reexamine or
suspend all conditional registrations until we understand how to manage
risks, and require clear labels so that consumers know that these products
kill bees and other pollinators.

The report also recommends that the US Environmental Protection Agency
adopt a more cautious approach to approving all new pesticides, using a
comprehensive assessment process that adequately addresses the risks to
honey bees, bumble bees and solitary bees in all life stages.

"We recommend a variety of risk assessment measures that will help us
understand the real risk that bees and other pollinators face from new
pesticides," said Mace Vaughan, Xerces Pollinator Program Director and
report co-author. "We need better methods to assess risk for honey bees and
new methods to include other important pollinator groups to ensure we do
not negatively impact populations of these important animals."

Please visit www.xerces.org<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1109587275087&s=9754&e=0012yl9YHPajA7D1-q8KMaFzCVdvo2ko7UQgR9abcd0lrPZ4ZMyXOu5qVK6SrOC3cxmlNq-fZtfHlnrOW1IGlcDjtHcnBOUsKBv0jvohky8EjKg20yw2it8_nloybnS98VMXRBHRma_zKA=>for
a full copy of this report.
 ABOUT THE XERCES SOCIETY The Xerces Society is a nonprofit organization
that protects wildlife through the conservation of invertebrates and their
habitat. Since 1971, the Society has been at the forefront of invertebrate
protection worldwide, harnessing the knowledge of scientists and the
enthusiasm of citizens to implement conservation programs. To learn more
about our work or to donate to the Society, please visit
www.xerces.org<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1109587275087&s=9754&e=0012yl9YHPajA7aRubsEX45RV8wtsPIJ0gelrtcSHqFztl5LqNzXjHTPMtCsI3_GtDR5MgfcNWV0sUYNCzzcRnlb0BFwQz6RmkWSIkVj390D2g=>
.  PHOTO CREDIT Long-horned bee (*Melissodes *sp.) on sunflower by Mace
Vaughan.
   The Xerces Society * 628 NE Broadway, Suite 200, Portland, Oregon 97232
USA * tel 503.232.6639
info at xerces.org *
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Copyright © 2012 The Xerces Society. All rights reserved.
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