Honey Bees Pick Up Toxic Pollens From Home Gardens

A new study conducted by a team of researchers from the Purdue University in Indiana has found that honey bees pick up contaminated and toxic pollens not from the farmer's field, but from home and kitchen gardens.

During the study, the researchers picked up pollen samples from three different honeybee hives within Indiana over a period of 16 weeks. The research team wanted to check the pollens that are used across the years by the honeybees and whether they are contaminated by any form of toxic chemicals or pesticides.

The research team was left surprised by what they discovered. The honey bees were exposed to a wide range of toxic chemicals, far greater than what the researchers were initially hoping to discover. The number of pesticides found in the pollens was a matter of deep concern.

The team discovered that even when the bee hives were just adjacent to the crop fields, the number of crop pollens was fairly less. In addition, toxification from agricultural pesticides was only a minor part of the problem. A majority of the contribution for toxic chemicals came from urban landscapes and homeowners.

Elizabeth Long, who was a researcher on the team from The Ohio State University, confessed being left concerned and surprised by the study findings and the number of pesticides that the team found in the bee pollens.

The pesticides identified by the researchers belonged to nine different classes, including neonics, which is often used in soybean and corn fields. The highest concentration of insecticide discovered was from a class of compounds called pyrethroids, which is often used to control mosquitoes and other pests.

Long has warned people to use insecticides and pesticides only when they really have to, because the bees would eventually come in its contact and it could, in turn, impact the bee population.

The complete details of the study have been published in the journal Nature Communications.