Sting in the tale

The joint letter from Friends of the Earth and the Scottish Wildlife Trust (“Scotland Bee First”, 8 June) claims that the agricultural aphid insecticides – neonicotinoids – are among the larger factors causing bee declines.

My understanding is that only 1 per cent of agricultural land in Scotland ever used these insecticides, so they are unlikely to be a factor of any significance. Even more so, because present evidence indicates it is unlikely that they have any significant effect on bees in agricultural fields.

Prof Tony Trewavas

Scientific Alliance 
Scotland