Banned pesticides pose a greater risk to bees than thought, EU experts warn

New study by European Food and Safety Authority finds 'high risk' to bees from neonicotinoid pesticide sprays prompting calls for extending ban

Three pesticides banned in Europe for their potential to damage bee populations could pose an even greater threat than was thought, according to a new assessment by the European Food Safety Authority (Efsa).

Already proscribed for seed treatments and soil applications, the Efsa analysis says that clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam also pose a 'high risk' to bees when sprayed on leaves.