The plummeting numbers of pollinators in recent years has been blamed, in part, on the widespread use of pesticides. The EU banned the use of neonicotinoids on flowering crops that attract bees, such as oil seed rape, in 2013. “European agriculture will suffer as a result of this decision,” said Graeme Taylor, at the European Crop Protection Association. Guy Smith, NFU deputy president, said: “The pest problems that neonicotinoids helped farmers tackle have not gone away. Pesticides damage survival of bee colonies, landmark study shows Read moreBut this evidence has strengthened recently to show damage to colonies of bees.

Source: The Guardian April 27, 2018 09:47 UTC