Neonics put bumblebees at risk of extinction by hindering colony formation, study reveals

(University of Guelph) Bumblebees are less able to start colonies when exposed to a common neonicotinoid pesticide, according to a new University of Guelph study.Professor Nigel Raine has discovered that exposure to thiamethoxam reduces the chances of a bumblebee queen starting a new colony by more than a quarter. Using a mathematical model, the researchers found that this rate of decline could threaten extinction of wild bumblebee populations.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2fFsXmo