Pesticides Affecting Bees

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Recommended: Impacts of pesticides on agriculture

Pesticides affecting bees is a large problem in our world, and scientists believe it is one of the leading causes of death for bees. Insecticides are a specific type of pesticide used to target insects that may be negatively affecting crops. Sadly, Bees can also be affected by these very dangerous and fatal chemicals. Bees that are poisoned by pesticides can either die right when the pesticide is introduced into their body, or even worse, they can bring it back to the colony and it can infect the rest of the hive. Multiple lab studies have confirmed that the main reason for colony collapse is the introduction of pesticides into the bees’ living environment. Poisoning can occur when bees are doing their jobs and pollinating crops, although when they come in contact with any surface containing a trace of pesticide will immediately kill or hinder the rest of their most likely, short life. Bees can also pick up traces of pesticides or insecticides just from drinking of wading in a water source like a puddle, or dew droplets on a crop. If a bee picks up any pesticide at all, and it doesn’t kill them, they won't even be aware that they are bringing it back to their hive, making everyone else vulnerable to the sickness. Bees aren't …show more content…

If pesticides don't end up proving fatal, they can slowly and painfully kill the bee over a long period of time, with can also lead to a long exposure time to other bees, this will dramatically increase their risk of contracting the pesticide too. Other effects of pesticides on bees are shortening their lives, destroying their natural defense systems, starving them, and ending their reproductive cycle altogether. When a Queen Bee contracts a pesticide from a worker bee, or a drone bee contracts a pesticide, this can be the end of that hive. The Queen bee reproduces with drone bees, and if either of them is affected, they could die, or their reproductive system could just shut

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