New study - Scientists find that Neonicotinoids kill bees’ brain cells

[RiverLover]

Study published last month (April 2015)

Pesticides alter bees' brains, making them unable to live and reproduce adequately

New research in The FASEB Journal suggests that the neonicotinoid class of pesticides do not kill bees but impair their brain function to disturb learning, blunt food gathering skills and harm reproduction

In research report published in the May 2015 issue of The FASEB Journal, scientists report that a particular class of pesticides called "neonicotinoids" wreaks havoc on the bee populations, ultimately putting some crops that rely on pollination in jeopardy. Specifically, these pesticides kill bee brain cells, rendering them unable to learn, gather food and reproduce. The report, however, also suggests that the effects of these pesticides on bee colonies may be reversible by decreasing or eliminating the use of these pesticides on plants pollenated by bees and increasing the availability of "bee-friendly" plants available to the insects.

"Our study shows that the neonicotinoid pesticides are a risk to our bees and we should stop using them on plants that bees visit," said Christopher N. Connolly, Ph.D., a researcher involved in the work from the Medical Research Institute at the Ninewells Medical School at the University of Dundee in Dundee, UK. "Neonicotinoids are just a few examples of hundreds of pesticides we use on our crops and in our gardens. Stop using all pesticides in your garden and see insect damage as a success. You are providing for your native wildlife. Nasty caterpillars grow into beautiful butterflies."

To make their discovery, Connolly and colleagues fed bees a sugar solution with very low neonicotinoid pesticide levels typically found in flowers (2.5 parts per billion) and tracked the toxins to the bee brain. They found that pesticide levels in the bees' brains were sufficient to cause the learning cells to run out of energy. Additionally, the brain cells were even vulnerable to this effect at just one tenth of the level present. When the ability of the bee's brain to learn is limited, the bee is unable to master key skills such as recognizing the presence of nectar and pollen from the smell emitted from flowers.

In addition, scientists fed bumblebee colonies this same very low level of pesticide in a remote site in the Scottish Highlands where they were unlikely to be exposed to any other pesticides. They found that just a few of the exposed colonies performed well, colonies were smaller, and nests were in poor condition with fungus taking over. This further suggests that bumblebees exposed to this type of pesticide become poor learners, become unable to properly gather food, and become unable to properly nurture the next generation of bees.

"It is ironic that neonicotinoids, pesticides developed to preserve the health of plants, ultimately inflict tremendous damage on plant life," said Gerald Weissmann, M.D., Editor-in-Chief of The FASEB Journal. "These chemicals destroy the insect communities required by plants for their own reproduction."

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-04/foas-pab043015.php

[bananas]

1. The Four Laws of Ecology

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barry_Commoner

One of Commoner's lasting legacies is his four laws of ecology, as written in The Closing Circle in 1971.[10] The four laws are:[11]

1. Everything is connected to everything else. There is one ecosphere for all living organisms and what affects one, affects all.
   
   
2. Everything must go somewhere. There is no "waste" in nature and there is no "away" to which things can be thrown.
   
   
3. Nature knows best. Humankind has fashioned technology to improve upon nature, but such change in a natural system is, says Commoner, "likely to be detrimental to that system"
   
   
4. There is no such thing as a free lunch. Exploitation of nature will inevitably involve the conversion of resources from useful to useless forms.

[RiverLover]

2. That is beautiful. Nature does know best, everything is connected. Such a wonderous thing.

Thank you SO much for sharing this, bananas. Bookmarking.

[appal_jack]

3. Deep appreciation for this excellent Commoner quote & link, bananas.

Also, a big k&r to RiverLover for frequently ferreting-out the most important environmental news and bringing it here to DU!

-app

[RiverLover]

4. Thank you for the kind words, appal_jack!!

(Clever screen name, btw. You live in the Appalachian range somewhere? I used to, I miss the mountains!)

[appal_jack]

5. "Upon the Blue Ridge Mountains is where I'll take my stand."

I feel quite lucky to have landed in the Southern Appalachians full-time about 15 years ago, after many travels. Been in and out of this region since a summer job in 1990.



-app

[RiverLover]

6. Nice.

[Nihil]

8. If only those laws had been taught to all children since 1971 ...

... the world would be in a much better state today.

[Bill USA]

7. Wow. will anything be done about this? Bee population down dramatically in 2014.

recommended!

[Nihil]

9. More confirmation for what is as obvious a problem as climate change ...

Yet I'm sure our resident Monsanto employees supporters will be along to deny this,
shoot the messenger, derail the thread and otherwise cover-up the truth.