Exposure to Popular Insecticide Leads to Queen Bees Laying Fewer Eggs

New research suggests that insecticide exposure has indeed gone far that it affects the egg-laying abilities of queen bees. It examined imidacloprid which belongs to neonicotinoids, a class of nicotine-based insecticides. Honeybees are usually exposed to the latter during pollination while foraging for the pollen and nectar for their colonies.

The study was led by Judy Wu-Smart, a professor and entomologist from the University of Nebraska Lincoln. According to Phys.org, they found that the world's best-selling insecticide may hurt the egg-laying ability of queen bees and hinder the maintenance of a healthy colony. In colonies exposed to imidacloprid-laced syrup, queen bees laid fewer eggs than those in unexposed colonies. The former laid from one-third to up to two-thirds as many as the latter.

Queens are the only ones who can reproduce individual laying eggs; hence they are of great importance. According to Wu-Smart, "One queen can lay up to 1,000 eggs a day. If her ability to lay eggs is reduced, that is a subtle effect that isn't (immediately) noticeable but translates to really dramatic consequences for the colony."

Moreover, exposed colonies also have bigger proportions of empty cells compared to unexposed ones. They likewise store less pollen. The results indicate poor brood health in colonies that were exposed to imidacloprid. Meanwhile, Gizmodo India reported that apart from the queens' impaired egg-laying ability, other effects of insecticide involve queens having poor locomotor activity and workers having foraging and hygienic activity impairments. Such results indicate that neonicotinoid insecticides play a big role in the global bee population decline.

Amidst the adverse effects of neonicotinoids, Wu-Smart does not consider banning the insecticides. However, she calls for the regulation of insecticide-treated seeds just like how the industry does with various other application techniques. The aforementioned details is quite alarming. For this, insecticide users should closely follow what the experts recommend. Bees are a part of our environment that needs to be saved alongside other creatures and resources.