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The “Bee-pocalypse” has been cancelled. Global bee populations are rising and are now near historic highs. In Canada, the bee populations are up 13 per cent since 2011. While there are serious threats to bees, neonicotinoid pesticides (or neonics) in agriculture is not one of them. Continued focus on neonics by environmental groups detracts from and potentially worsens real threats to bees.

Neonic pesticides, widely used since the mid 1990’s, are synthetic compounds based on the natural compound nicotine. They have low toxicity to birds and mammals but insects are extremely sensitive to their effects.

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This wild suggestion that neonic use caused bee colony collapse disorder began in 2010, when activist scientists in Europe began to lobby for a ban on neonics. In 2013, they obtained a two-year EU ban that is still in place, despite the evidence.

In North America a very loud minority wants a complete ban of neonics. So far only the Ontario government has placed major restrictions on neonic use.