Bees are important to agriculture. They pollinate plants, which is a key part of cultivation. So, when the bees started dying off, it raised red flags and lots of them. Colony Collapse Disorder has been talked about and discussed heavily in recent years, as farmers see the effect of the bees’ disappearance.
Recently, France moved to ban the use of a pesticide, Cruiser OCR from Syngenta, because it had been tied to CCD. This pesticide works not by outright killing pests, but by changing the central nervous system so that they become confused and disoriented. Researchers showed that bees exposed to thiamethoxam were less likely to return to the hive when they went out to collect pollen.
The ban went into place on Friday. You can read more about the ban and the reasons behind it here:
Photo credit: The talented Amy Johnson of She Wears Many Hats
Don’t miss the latest from Family Kitchen – Like Us on Facebook!