Bees are essential for ensuring that a diverse variety of food is available to everyone. Without their work, approximately one-third of our food reserves would disappear, putting life itself at risk. The die-off of bees and pollinating insects is now public knowledge. Although the causes are complex, the massive and indiscriminate use of pesticides has emerged as a decisive factor. Much like human food and habitats, the environment of bees is heavily contaminated and compromised by pesticides. Let’s analyze the situation in detail.
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What damage do pesticides cause?
According to a report by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), 10% of wild bee species are facing extinction, and another 5% are at risk. Pesticides are one of the primary causes, as they influence the learning, orientation, reproductive capacity, and social behavior of these insects. In particular, among the insecticides affecting the life of bees, we identify:
- Neonicotinoids: Pesticides used for maize seed dressing. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recently confirmed that clothianidin and thiamethoxam are the neonicotinoids directly associated with the die-off of honeybees and wild bees. Furthermore, the persistence of these products in the soil causes contamination of subsequent crop cycles and wild plants at the edges of fields.
- Sulfoximine-based insecticides: These are responsible for the reduction of reproductive capacity.
- Flupyradifurone: Registered in 2014 as an alternative to dangerous neonicotinoids, this substance has negative consequences on the taste, learning, and memory of bees.
How and to what extent do pesticides contaminate?
Pollen is the main protein source for bees, while nectar provides them with sugars. Unfortunately, during the transition from collection to storage in the hive, bees import contaminated food. Once in the hives, pesticide residues intoxicate the brood, with lethal effects on larvae and the queen herself. This mechanism ultimately leads to a lack of new adults and a general weakening of the colony, eventually resulting in the loss of the entire family. Highlighting this dramatic situation, recent studies have found that:
- A pesticide was detected in 62% of the analyzed hives;
- A combination of two pesticides was present in 38% of cases;
- Pesticide concentrations exceeded the safety limit for human consumption in 39% of cases;
- The amount found was above the toxicity threshold for bees in 13% of cases.
The prestigious journal Science also published analyses of numerous honey samples:
- 75% were found to be contaminated by systemic insecticides (the infamous neonicotinoids);
- 45% contained two neonicotinoids;
- 10% contained as many as three.
The effects of combining multiple pesticides are unknown, but in many cases, their synergy results in an increase in toxicity. Considering that honey production is an Italian flagship—providing work for an increasing number of people among Italy’s 45,000 beekeepers with 22,000 tons produced annually—it is easy to deduce that the bee die-off is not just an environmental problem, but a social one as well.
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How widespread are pesticides?
A positive example comes from neighboring France, where the five pesticides most responsible for the death of bees and pollinators have been banned: clothianidin, imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, thiacloprid, and acetamiprid. Three of these had already been banned by the United Nations following a report announcing the global extinction of 40% of pollinating insects caused by such substances. Ironically, these pesticides were first tested on French territory in the 1990s for sunflower seed dressing, causing the death of 400,000 bee colonies in just a few days. Europe, the USA, and Canada are now reconsidering the use of these pesticides, first by restricting their application and even rethinking cultivation methods themselves.
What are the future prospects against pesticides?
For several years, efforts have been underway to find new and alternative solutions to this major problem. In 2008, a precautionary suspension of neonicotinoids throughout Northern Italy practically eliminated the bee die-off that had been ongoing since the 2000s. Crucially, this radical change did not cause losses in agricultural production, proving that seed dressing was effectively useless as well as expensive. Furthermore, virtuous practices are being implemented, such as increasing biodiversity by planting hedges, borders, and groves in cultivated areas, combined with crop rotation. This strengthens natural defenses and reduces the need for pesticides. Additionally, chemical use would be confined only to where and when it is strictly necessary.
In this context, Nanomnia’s technology plays a vital role. The ultimate goal is to reduce the quantity of pesticides through specialized methods, preventing the contamination of pollen and nectar and thus contributing to healthier environments for all pollinating insects.