Are neonicotinoids killing bees?

Since their introduction in the 1990s, neonicotinoids have become the most widely used insecticides in the world accounting for over 25% of the global insecticide market and with a value of approximately $4 billion in 20141. These insecticides have been subject to the same registration procedures as other pesticides to ensure they meet rigorous scientific and regulatory requirements to protect human health and the environment. However, over the last ten years there have been increasing claims of adverse effects on pollinators and other wildlife following the use of certain neonicotinoid insecticides. For example, numerous laboratory, semi-field, and field studies have been conducted to understand the impact of neonicotinoids on bees; however, results have been widely debated and contested. In response, in 2013, the European Union on the advice of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) restricted the use of three neonicotinoids clothianidin and imidacloprid (manufactured by Bayer) and thiamethoxam (manufactured by Syngenta), amid concerns that they have harmful effects on bees. The UK government reluctantly implemented this moratorium but did not feel that available field trial evidence supported the restrictions, and thus called for a refocus to deliver a precautionary, hazard-based approach to pesticide use to help protect bees. EFSA is currently conducting a review of available data to assess the risks to bees from the use of clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam, and a decision is expected later in 2017. Recently the European Commission (EC) has proposed an outright ban on all field uses of neonicotinoids with applications confined to areas where bees are not present, e.g. glasshouses; however, this requires ratification by Member States. In this issue of Pest Management Science, we are pleased to present a compilation of articles inspired by a conference entitled ‘Are neonicotinoids killing bees?’ organised by the Agrisciences technical interest group of Society of Chemical Industry (SCI), and held at SCI Headquarters, 14/15 Belgrave Square, London, UK on 22 September 2016. The conference heard from experts from academia, the crop protection industry, and regulatory agencies, in addition to beekeepers and farmers, to explore the data behind the ban, the impact of alternative control methods, and what the options are for the future, through promotion of sound scientific evidence to aid decision-making.