A new study indicates that identifying and resolving the environmental issues surrounding bee colony collapse disorder in the United States is more complicated than banning a class of insecticides (neonicotinoids) as has been suggested in social media and elsewhere.

What researchers found when studying pollen collected from bee hives near seven major crops was that pesticides and pathogens may interact to have strong negative effects on managed honey bee colonies. What was surprising about the study was there were high concentrations of fungicides in the pollen samples. While fungicides are typically seen as safe for honey bees, the study found an increased incidence of Nosema infection in bees that collected pollen with a higher fungicide load. In layperson’s terms, a witches brew of pesticides and fungicides is forming, in and surrounding fields targeted for pollination, and the chemicals are interacting. When exposed, it weakens bee resistance to a parasite that contributes to bee colony collapse.

To learn more about the study, read the general article, “Scientists Discover What’s Killing the Bees and It’s Worse Than You Thought” by Todd Woody, or dive into the study, “Crop Pollination Exposes Honey Bees to Pesticides Which Alters Their Susceptibility to the Gut Pathogen Nosema ceranae” replete with charts, graphs and PowerPoint slides here.