Photo Credit: Bob Peterson

Research out of Italy confirms the harmful effects of neonicotinoid pesticides on honey bee health. The study, published in PNAS, examined the molecular mechanism of how neonicotinoids affect bee immune function. They found that even at low levels of exposure, neonicotinoid pesticides can harm honey bee immune systems. This, in turn, allows for bee infection, resulting in high levels of parasites and pathogens. This research supports a number of studies showing harmful effects of neonicotinoids on bee populations.