It’s tough being a bee for lots of reasons, but at least, as New Scientist reports, brain damage from chemical warfare won’t be as much of a problem any more – not in the United States. (Because it was, you know.) But now, America has banned one new neonicotinoid pesticide:
As a result of the US decisions, rules on the controversial chemicals in the US and European Union are in bizarre contradiction. The US has approved most neonicotinoids while now banning sulfoxaflor.
But the EU has banned most neonicotinoids for use on flowering crops and spring sown crops since 2013, but approved sulfoxaflor in July on the basis that it would not have any unacceptable effects on the environment. “The public will be justifiably confused and concerned,” says Matt Shardlow, CEO of Buglife, a British group that campaigns against neonicotinoids.
The US ruling against sulfoxaflor, which is manufactured by Dow AgroSciences, was made by a federal appeals court in San Francisco and applies nationally.
So, a weird kind of half-ban.
Perhaps the whole colonies will only half-collapse from half-damaged brains?