One of the world’s most essential species is at risk: bees. These small insects are considered the most important living being on the planet. A strong food chain depends on them, which is built together with other ecosystems to guarantee animal and human balance.
However, beyond the danger that millions of pollinators face due to the destruction of their habitats, pesticides also threaten the development of the youngest generations of bees.
According to research published in Proceedings of the Royal Society, baby bees have irreversible brain damage when exposed to pesticides. These chemical substances can enter the colony through the most mature bees and infect the baby bees, causing limitations in their development.
«Worryingly, in this case, when young bees ingest pesticide-contaminated food, this causes parts of the brain to grow less, leading to older adult bees having smaller, functionally impaired brains,» the study notes. .
This makes it difficult for bees to perform basic tasks in the colony such as building a nest, navigating, or most importantly pollinating flowers and crops. Specifically, the researchers looked at the effects of neonicotinoids (which are still part of the components of various pesticides) on bees.
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The impact of pesticides on baby bees
Thanks to microCT scanners, the brains of 100 baby bees could be observed in depth. The differences found were striking, since in the brain of the bees that consumed pesticides that were in the flowers there was a decrease of the fungus, that is, the learning center of the brain of the baby bees.
The more exposure there was to the components of these pesticides, the more the brains of the baby bees shrank in size. Undoubtedly, this makes it difficult to understand and carry out the simple tasks of these pollinators.
The smaller the learning center (mushroom), the less functional the bee is. For this important reason, pesticides must stop being used on food crops. Our goal is not only to prevent existing bees from ceasing to pollinate, but also we must guarantee the growth of the new generations of bees.
Keep reading: Mexico has lost 1.6 billion bees: it is an «apocalyptic» situation
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