Why Neonicotinoids Need to Stay Banned — Permanently

In January 2021, the UK government approved the use of a neonicotinoid pesticide for emergency use as a seed treatment on sugar beet.

The announcement generated a huge amount of backlash from conservationists and citizens alike, and the decision was eventually overturned. However, in January 2022, DEFRA has once again approved this bee-killing pesticide for emergency use. The decision comes only days after a damning parliamentary report detailing the terrible state of English rivers, largely due to agricultural pollution.

So why is it imperative that the UK government upholds the ban on neonicotinoids?

Beewashing: How 'Saving' Honeybees is Hurting Wild Bees

 

Lots of people talk about 'saving the bees', and we can all agree it's an admirable idea. However, do you know which bees actually need saving?

In early 2021, over 90,000 UK residents signed a petition to parliament requesting that the government uphold the ban on harmful pesticides for the sake of pollinators and other wildlife. This petition, alongside dozens of others, shows that awareness for the plight of pollinators amongst ordinary people is greater than ever before.

As a bumblebee scientist, I think it is wonderful that citizens around the world are speaking up about the ecological violence facing bees and other pollinators. However, despite our best intentions, our efforts to 'save the bees' might actually be doing more harm than good — and it's not our fault!

An Introduction to Bumblebees

Did you know there are over 20,000 species of bee in the world?

From the solitary leafcutter bee which lines its nest with cut leaves to the famous honeybee which lives in a colony with up to 80,000 sisters, each and every species has a part to play in our ecosystems. However, each and every species is also facing unique threats. Therefore, when it comes to conservation, I think it’s important to specify which bee we’re talking about when we say: ‘save the bees’.

As a bumblebee scientist, it seems fitting to begin with our fluffiest friends.