Insecticide chief suspect in demise of honey bees: St. Catharines Standard

Thursday, July 11, 2013 2:00:00 EDT AMWhy our honeybees are dying, and at such enormous rates, has remained a puzzle for the agricultural and science communities, but there is good reason to believe an insecticide, approved for use in Canada nine years ago, could be responsible.

It’s a neonicotinoid-based chemical used to coat crop seeds. But it’s feared the coating is also getting into plants, water, soil and air — into the very environment frequented by honeybees.

The Canadian Honey Council says Canada’s bee population has plummeted by 35% since 2010. Honeybees are nature’s pollinators; pollination is responsible for the growth and development of 70% of Canada’s cultivated plants. Read