Oilseed rape pesticide linked to UK honeybee deaths, study finds

Imidacloprid, a nicotine-like pesticide used on crops, led to loss of bee colonies in England and Wales, according to government-backed research

Protecting oilseed rape crops with a controversial nicotine-like pesticide has led to the loss of honeybee colonies across England and Wales, a government-backed study has found.

The research, based on large-scale data on pesticide use, crop yields, and honeybee losses spanning 11 years, looked at the effects of coating seeds with imidacloprid in nine regions between 2000 and 2010.