In a masterful example of thorough scientific reporting, Jon Entine makes it clear that the recent accusations that the group of pesticides called neonicotinoids (“neonics”) is responsible for Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) of honeybees are baseless. Such accusations are bound to be concerning, since honeybees are responsible for pollinating many crops — both here and in Europe. But should we or entomologists (scientists who study insects), farmers, or beekeepers for that matter, really be concerned? Jon Entine says “no,” and tells us why not. Entine points out, for example, that in the period between 1995 (when neonics were introduced) and 2012, the overall number of beehives in the European Union actually increased. The same is true for the US and Canada. These data certainly don’t support any theory of widespread CCD. Read more.
