Pesticide alert for bee population

Wildlife charities have called on the government to act after leaked documents warned that a pesticide could pose a major risk to bee populations.

A memo from US government scientists revealed that the neonicotinoid pesticide, clothianidin, was extremely harmful to the insects.

The file reveals some tests in the approval process were seen as inadequate by scientists who said they were not able to detect environmental damage.

Defra insists the pesticide is not dangerous. But Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) scientists flagged up the risks to honeybees and aquatic insects if the US government approved the request for clothianidin to be used as a treatment on cotton and mustard seeds.

Neonicotinoid pesticides are used in the UK for agriculture and horticulture.