Wild bees face risks from pesticide

Pesticides may cause population declines for wild bees in the future, according to new research. Current pesticide risk assessments only use honeybees to determine if pesticides are safe, but they leave out wild bees. In a study published in Science, researchers tried to fill in the gaps regarding how pesticides affect the wild pollinators. “Our findings show that over 70% of wild bee species, which are crucial for pollinating our food crops, face significant risks from pesticide residues in soil—a threat current regulations overlook,” said Sabrina Rondeau, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Ottawa, in a press release. Using a combination of laboratory and field studies, the team found that bumble bee queens may be attracted to pesticide-contaminated soils, exposure to pesticides could reduce survival and reproductive success in queens, and other additional findings. “Our work demonstrates that protecting wild pollinators requires a fundamental rethinking of how we assess pesticide safety,” Rondeau said. “It’s crucial for safeguarding both our food systems and biodiversity.”

Read the study in Science.