Trailing Normal: July 2014

WHY does the fate of bees matter?

Because without bees around to do what they do best, pollinate, you can wave good-bye to around 1/3 of your food supply.

And of course, honey too ... yum, yum.

What are Systemic Pesticides?

"Unlike other pesticides which remain on the surface of treated foliage, systemic pesticides are taken up by the plant and transported to all the tissues (leaves, flowers, roots and stems, as well as pollen and nectar)."

"The most common are Neonicotinoids and Fipronil (neonics), which are a class of neuro-active, nicotine-based systemic insecticide. These were developed in 1991 and brought into commercial use in the mid-1990s."

"Neonics act on the information processing abilities of invertebrates, affecting specific neural pathways that are different from vertebrates. This makes them popular as broad-spectrum insecticides, as they are considered less directly toxic to vertebrate species including humans."

"These systemic insecticides have become the most widely used group of insecticides globally, with a market share now estimated at around 40% of the world market."

(Source: The Task Force on Systemic Pesticides )

What is Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD)?

Generally speaking, CCD may refer to the spontaneous abandonment of the hive by bees (they leave the hive and do not return); and or the mass death of bees within the hive itself. It has been suggested that several 'stress factors'—acting either independently or in concert—may be responsible for the observed increase in this phenomenon.

Stress Factors on Honey Bee Populations:(Source: OPERA Bee Health in Europe 2013)

Farmer practises: Monoculture; Field size

Bee food supply: Less variety; Less quantity

Climate & weather: Planting season; Spring timing; Winter severity

Pathogens: Viruses, bacteria, parasites; Other diseases; Varroa mite; Increased transmission of other diseases; Resistance development to treatments; Pesticides which kill mites (Acaricides & other disease control agents)

Bee keeper practices: Attitudes; Pollination services; General care; Disease management

Residues in bee products: Hive foundations; Pollen/wax

Beneficial microbes: Susceptible to disease control agents; Competition with pathogens

Pesticides: Application procedures; Translocation; Dust-off

What is the Task Force on Systemic Pesticides?

"The Task Force on Systemic Pesticides is the response of the scientific community to concern around the impact of systemic pesticides on biodiversity and ecosystems. Its intention is to provide the definitive view of science to inform more rapid and improved decision-making."

"The Worldwide Integrated Assessment of the Impact of Systemic Pesticides on Biodiversity and Ecosystems (WIA) has examined over 800 scientific studies spanning the last five years, including industry sponsored ones. It is the single most comprehensive study of neonics ever undertaken, is peer reviewed, and published as free access so that the findings and the source material can be thoroughly examined by others.”(Source: The Task Force on Systemic Pesticides)

What Were the Findings of the WIA Study?

*(Please note, in the interest of brevity I have included only a few key points from their study. A complete summary can be found at the Task Force on Systemic Pesticide website, link directly below.)

"Neonics persist – particularly in soil – for months and in some cases years and environmental concentrations can build up. This effectively increases their toxicity by increasing the duration of exposure of non-target species."

"The classic measurements used to assess the toxicity of a pesticide (short-term lab toxicity results) are not effective for systemic pesticides and conceal their true impact. They typically only measure direct acute effects rather than chronic effects via multiple routes of exposure. In the case of acute effects alone, some neonics are at least 5,000 to 10,000 times more toxic to bees than DDT."

"The effects of exposure to neonics range from instant and lethal to chronic. Even long term exposure at low (non-lethal) levels can be harmful. They are nerve poisons and the chronic damage caused can include: impaired sense of smell or memory; reduced fecundity; altered feeding behaviour and reduced food intake including reduced foraging in bees; altered tunneling behaviour in earthworms; difficulty in flight and increased susceptibility to disease."

"Neonics impact all species that chew a plant, sip its sap, drink its nectar, eat its pollen or fruit and these impacts cascade through an ecosystem weakening its stability."

How did Manufacturers Respond to the WIA Study?

In Bayer Crop Sciences' response, they make reference to the fact that Australia has not experienced a decline in pollinator species populations. This despite their use of neonicotinoid pesticides on their crops. That the Varroa mite is not present in Australia is also noted as an explanatory factor for the continued healthy state of their pollinator populations.

Blogger's Thoughts

Will systemic pesticides go the way of DDT? How that question is answered might depend upon geography; at least in the short term.

Historically, government claims of inconclusive research have forestalled much in the way of decisive action. However, in 2013, the European commission announced a two year moratorium on the usage of three neonic pesticides in EU countries. (Though many considered the time frame insufficient for gaining an accurate measure of its impact.) And just this past month, the United States announced the creation of a 'Pollinator Health Task Force' with a mandate to develop and implement strategies to combat the decline of pollinator populations.

Still, for those resolute upon maintaining a contrary stance, claims of causal ambiguity will no doubt persist and continue to provide the fuel for a vicious cycle of point-counterpoint debates. Is Australia the exception or might it be the rule?

Created are a family of chemical compounds, developed in a laboratory by chemists. These compounds are a bit daunted by the future that awaits them after their approval process is complete. After all, they are carrying a lot of responsibility on their shoulders ... ahem ... chemical bonds: They must excel at their job so as to keep costs low and yields high for consumers; while at the same time, turning a sizable profit for those pesky investors--you know, the ones who footed the bill for their creation.

Eventually they receive all the necessary approvals from the various regulatory bodies and are cleared for sale. And true to expectation, they rapidly penetrate the market. And exceeding expectation, they soon saturate the market. And the investors and manufacturers are happy because they are making a lot of money; and the consumers are happy because these products are affordable and work really well.

But there is trouble lurking on the horizon.

The problem is, by now these products have become ubiquitous and thus impossible to monitor and regulate. Why is this a problem? Oh wait a minute, did I forget to mention those explicit warnings contained within the pages of their MSDS sheets? No matter, I am mentioning it now, and those warnings--that's why this is a problem.

But before you go judging these chemicals too harshly, remember they never meant to cause all this trouble. They were just doing their job. They knew little about ecosystems and even less about supply and demand. It would be wrong to hold them accountable for neglecting to consider the devastating trickle-down effect of their actions. After all, they are just #%&*@! chemicals.

We live in an era where market expectation operates with a degree of impatience unprecedented in previous generations. And it is as a result of this insatiable demand that changes are being introduced into biological systems at an accelerated rate. The thing to keep in mind is that no action, regardless of intent is without consequence; and it is both present and future consequences that need to be carefully weighed when considering the immediate benefits of our actions.

UPDATES / RELATED

July 24, 2015 / theguardian.com /
UK suspends ban on pesticides linked to serious harm in bees