Bees are still being harmed despite tightened pesticide regulations

Glyphosate — a common pesticide that can negatively impacts bees — has just been approved for continued use in the EU

Bombus terrestris: bumblebee colonies exposed to commonly used pesticides saw significant reductions in total colony production (the number of cocoons); maximum colony weight; and the number of new queens

Pesticides, commonly used on farmland, significantly harm bumblebees — Ireland’s most important wild pollinators. In a study spanning 106 sites across eight European countries, researchers have shown that despite tightened pesticide regulations, far more needs to be done.

While the agricultural uses of insecticides have been in the spotlight for their negative effects on bees, it has remained unknown how the effects scale beyond single substances in focal fields. Here, a large team of researchers answered recent calls for a more realistic assessment of the risks posed by mixtures of commonly used pesticides at landscape scales.