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Thursday, July 4, 2013

BEE NEWS - INSECTICIDE CHANGES THEIR GENES

ANOTHER STUDY CONFIRMS IT  - IT'S FARM CHEMICALS THAT ARE KILLING BEES
 
New research at the University of Nottingham has shown that exposure to a neonicotinoid insecticide causes changes to the genes of the honeybee.
 
The study supports the recent decision taken by the European Commission to temporarily ban three neonicotinoids amid concerns that they could be linked to bee deaths.
 
There is growing evidence connecting the decline in the honeybee population that pollinates one-third of the food that we eat, and insecticides, but this is the first comprehensive study to look at changes in the activity of honeybee genes linked to one of the recently banned neonicotinoids, imidacloprid.
 
The study, led by Dr Reinhard Stöger, was conducted under field realistic conditions and showed that a very low exposure of just two parts per billion has an impact on the activity of some of the honeybee genes.
 
The researchers identified that cells of honeybee larvae had to work harder and increase the activity of genes involved in breaking down toxins, most likely to cope with the insecticide. Genes involved in regulating energy to run cells were also affected. Such changes are known to reduce the lifespan of the most widely studied insect, the common fruit fly, and lower a larva's probability of surviving to adulthood.
 
Dr Stöger said: "Although larvae can still grow and develop in the presence of imidacloprid, the stability of the developmental process appears to be compromised. Should the bees be exposed to additional stresses such as pests, disease and bad weather then it is likely to increase the rate of development failure."

Read morehttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/07/130702100600.htm

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