Honeybee die-offs linked to new pesticide

Neonicotinoid insecticides that impact the central nervous system of insects are thought to have caused the deaths of more than 90 billion bees worldwide over the past 10 years, reducing honey production by 60 percent and leading to a dangerous shortage of pollinators. Two such products have been produced by the German company Bayer CropScience since 1991, and are leading sellers for the multinational. It is a systemic toxin which works its way from the seed throughout the plant, infiltrating the pollen and nectar, and is extremely persistent in soil. Several groups have brought lawsuits against the company, including the Natural Resources Defense Council, which charges that the EPA had access to studies finding a link between the chemical and “colony collapse disorder” but did not disclose the information. Full Story: Environment News Service