British Beekeepers’ Association in Warwickshire warn that bees face extinction due to 'killer pesticides'

Jan 16 2011 by Ben Goldby, Sunday Mercury

BEES are facing extinction because of ‘killer’ pesticides used on farms, experts have claimed.

The British Beekeepers’ Association Midland headquarters is abuzz with anger about findings which show the insect could disappear from the UK by 2020.

The BBKA annual conference, held at their base in Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, was a hive of activity yesterday as members complained that the charity had endorsed pesticides that were causing bees to die.

And members are calling for the organisation to take urgent action to protect our bees.

Over the past ten years billions of bees have been destroyed worldwide as a result of honey bee depopulation syndrome.

It has been blamed on the use of advanced pesticides, which it is claimed, target the insects’ brains, making them unable to return to their hives and wiping out millions of colonies.

Farm owner Graham White, quit the BBKA six years ago after it emerged the organisation had approved four controversial pesticides. He said the chemicals were causing the insects to suffer a “holocaust”.

Mr White said: “The bee population is being annihilated. Holocaust is the only word to describe it. There will be no bees whatsoever by 2020, and if you look at the major nations like the USA, where they lost three million colonies in four years, it’s insane. I’ve been keeping bees for 15 years. Obviously, pesticides were around but it just wasn’t a problem like it is now.

“The current crisis is over insecticides which have been sprayed on 84 million acres of crops in the last ten years and were endorsed as bee-friendly by the BBKA. People have been losing up to 90 per cent of their bees over the past four years.

“We expected the BBKA to protect bees and to look out for keepers. It is a charity and should be looking out for the 19,000 members, not endorsing pesticides that are among the most deadly to bees.