Pesticides may harm bees’ brains

TWO common pesticides being used by British farmers could be having a devastating impact on the survival of honey bees by damaging their ability to forage for food and find pollen, according to new research.

A study by teams at Dundee and Newcastle universities has found that the combination of the two pesticides has had a negative impact on the ability of bees to learn, leading to the insects forgetting important associations between floral scent and food rewards.

The chemicals identified in the study are neonicotinoid pesticides, which are regularly used on crops, and coumaphos, a pesticide used in honey bee hives to kill the parasitic varroa mite.

A Dundee University spokesman said: “Both types of pesticide target the same area of the bee brain involved in learning, causing a loss of function.

“If both pesticides were used in combination, the effect was greater. The study is the first to show that these pesticides have a direct impact on pollinator brain physiology.”