Why We Should Protect Bees
The Issue
Bees and other pollinators are critical to the health of our ecosystems.
Yet they are in serious decline due to the combination of
habitat loss, disease, climate change and exposure to
pesticides such as neonicotinoids (neonics). These
pesticides are known to negatively affect many pollinator species
including bees, butterflies and birds.
With respect to bees, neonics can cause direct mortality and also impact
navigation, learning, food collection, resistance to disease
and
reproduction.
Many of Ontario’s native bee species are now in decline, including the
gypsy cuckoo, rusty-patched and
yellow-banded bumblebees.