Bee Alert and Bee Very Alarmed!

Some good news from the European Union this week where a two year restriction on the use of
neonicotinoid chemicals, the worlds most used insecticide has been introduced to take effect from
1st December 2013. This decision is a result of strong community lobbying based on increasing
scientific evidence that links the use of neonicotinoid chemicals to the serious decline in bee
populations across North America and Europe.
Bees are significant pollinators and are essential for global food production and consequently global
food security. They are estimated to pollinate about 30% of food crops world wide. In South West
China, the heavy use of pesticides has completely wiped out bee populations over the past two
decades and farmers and orchardists are forced to pollinate by hand with feathers dipped in pollen
jars.
In the UK, the beekeepers association has predicted the total loss of honeybees in that country
within the next decade if nothing is done to try to protect them.
Neonicotinoid chemicals are a chemical group that include imidacloprid, clothianidin and
thiamethoxam. As yet there is insufficient field data to draw a
definitive link between the use of these chemicals and the
decline in bee populations. But in controlled laboratory
situations, these chemicals have conclusively been shown to
have significant negative effects on bees. Most especially it
has been shown that neonicotinoids interfere with the bees
homing signals and foraging bees fail to return to the hive.
Without the pollen necessary to feed and sustain the hive there
is a significant drop in hive populations. Evidence has also linked the chemicals to an 85% drop in
the production of Queen Bees that are essential for the establishment of new hives.
Whilst neonicotinoid chemicals are being targeted in this ban, other common chemicals and
environmental factors are also known to be contributing to the decline of bee populations. These
include large scale monocultures, habitat loss, climate change and prolonged drought.
Here in Australia neonicotinoids are still on the market although a review on their use and effect on
bees is currently being undertaken by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines
Association (APVMA), the governments regulating body. Both the US Environmental Association
and the APVMA have decided not to remove these chemicals from sale whilst they conduct their
reviews of neonicotinoids.
At SGA we have long promoted the most environmentally friendly
way of managi ng our garden pests. Thi s i ncl udes the
minimisation of harmful chemicals. In this instance we feel that
there is significant reason to ask you to voluntarily stop using, not
just neonicotinoids but also other insecticides that are harmful to
bees. You can identify the chemical being used by reading the
Active Ingredient which should be clearly displayed on the front
of the packet or bottle. In addition, the detailed instructions
provided with the product should also indicate the toxicity level to
bees.
For natural methods of pest control, visit
http://www.sgaonline.org.au/?tag=pests&orderby=title&order=asc
Fo r i n f o r ma t i o n o n t h e s t a t u s o f t h e APVMA r e v i e w, v i s i t
http://www. apvma. gov. au/news_medi a/chemi cal s/neoni cs. php
For additional information read
http://theconversation.com/neonicotinoid-ban-eases-the-stress-on-bees-13819
Photos:
Banner: Elaine Shallue
Honey Bee on Parrot Pea: Mary Trigger
Bee on Mint: Elaine Shallue