Save the Bees

Just like humans, bees and other insects need sleep to function properly. We all can come to an assumption that pesticides are not healthy for living beings. You might be wondering, so how do pesticides affect insects?

According to two recent studies based on this topic, these pesticides are thought to disrupt the sleep of being and flies. The disruption of sleep for important insects will lead to major consequences. In one of these studies, researchers looked at the effects of pesticides on bumblebee behavior. They did this by giving the bumblebees nectar sugar that they laced with neonicotinoids. Neonicotinoids are one of the most frequently used pesticides. As they studied the bumblebee’s behavior to the intake of these pesticides, by tracking their movement, the impact was striking. The amount they injected into the nectar sugar was similar to what these bumblebees are exposed to everyday within their natural environment. 

The exposure these bumblebees receive from their intake of these pesticides seem to disrupt the body clock of foraging bumblebees. This leads them to forage much less than expected. Their body clock is completely altered and the foraging that used to occur during the day, now is done at night time. Senior Maya Salzman stated that, “This change in timing of normal everyday behaviors must be bad.” These pesticides are making the bumblebees significantly more drained during the day, which leads them to sleep most often during daylight hours. Senior Allison Brown stated that, "If the only time they manage to forage is at nighttime when flowers aren't available, that's going to hugely decrease how successful they are at collecting the pollen that the colony needs to grow and reproduce." The change in body clock will also affect the way in which the bees will be able to care for their young. The pesticides that are being found in their everyday environments has also been seen in studies to damage the brains of baby bees. The motivation for these bumblebees to forage are dwindling. Senior Lizzie Kennedy stated that, “This could have serious consequences.” Many plants, including the fruits and vegetables humans consume rely on pollinators, like bumblebees, to reproduce. Approximately 90% of wild plants and 75% of leading global crops depend on animal pollination.