"Pesticide Stew" in Beehives and Pollen Triggers National Attention
At a March 25, 2010 session during the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society, a team of USDA-funded scientists reported finding a veritable "stew" of pesticides in bee hives, pollen, and beeswax.
Three out of five pollen and wax samples from 23 states included at least one residue of a systemic pesticide.
121 different pesticides were found in 887 samples.The average sample of beeswax contained 8 pesticides and/or pesticide metabolites and one sample contained 39 – how's that for a pesticide stew with a long ingredient list?
The finding of so many pesticides in beeswax is no surprise given what the bees were carrying back into the hive. The scientists also measured pesticides in the pollen collected by bees for transport back to the hive.Seven pesticides were found, on average, in each of 350 pollen samples, and one had 31 pesticide contaminants. Out of 887 samples of beeswax, pollen, and bees themselves, only 16 (1.8%) had no detectable pesticide residues.
Sources: Burke, S. and S. Borenstein, "Plight of bees worsens this winter and scientists spot stew of pesticides in pollen, hives," Associated Press, March 24, 2010.
Janet Raloff, "Bees face 'unprecedented' pesticide exposures at home and afield," Science News, March 21, 2010.
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