France and the banning of neonicotinoid insecticides

France Becomes The First Country To Ban All Five Pesticides Linked To Bee Deaths.

Most of us will have seen this or similarly worded headlines on a myriad of mainstream media sites, blogs, alternative information sites and sites that are simply click bait for advertising revenue. Many of these so called articles are full of sensational erroneous statements and speculations that have no factual or scientific foundation what so ever.

Large numbers of people will have liked, shared and commented on these pages without any idea of what the reality is or giving it any real thought.  Most of us do this at some time or another on social media because to do otherwise would be too time consuming.

So what actually is the reality?

Yes, France has banned the use of five types of neonicotinoid insecticides that by definition have been shown to cause harm to insects.  This is two more than the EU have banned, although countries frequently derogate from the ban in certain circumstances, most recently, (Dec 2018), Belgium and some other countries are allowing sugar beet growers to use Imidacloprid as a seed treatment for 2019.  Seed treatments have been by far the main method of delivery used here in France principally on Oil Seed Rape, Maize and Sunflowers. They were also used as foliar sprays on fruit crops of most types after flowering.

However, that is not the end of the story.  Neonicotinoids are still used in flea treatments for domestic creatures and in the house plant industry.

There is little point discussing just how much, if at all, the neonicotinoids that were used in France affected honeybees, which are, after all, generally a commercially managed species here in the same way that chickens and pigs are. Overall there has been no decline in honey bee colonies.

It is however highly likely that they have contributed in no small manner to the decline of many other insect and bee species by virtue of sub lethal doses adding one more stress factor. Having said that, it’s impossible to quantify exactly what role they played against the backdrop of massive habitat loss and the large scale use of other pesticides, (some 2,500 authorised in France).

Here comes the rub. Without meaning to sound churlish, banning the five neonicotinoids in itself isn’t that big a deal when it comes to protecting the environment and saving our wildlife populations as a whole. What the ban has brought about is a return to open spraying of other pesticides, (although fungicides have always been open sprayed).  The problem is particularly bad when it comes to OSR* where the crops are sprayed when in full flower. This not only impacts all the different insects that are foraging or living there but also all the birds that nest in or along the margins of this crop.  In particular Linnet, Stone Chat, Yellow Wagtail, Corn bunting, Yellowhammer, Hen Harrier and Montague’s Harrier. Hedgehogs may also be present and foraging although not during actual spraying.

Click on image to expand

In conclusion, although this ban may be beneficial it is nowhere near enough given France is one of the greatest users of pesticides in Europe, something that is increasing at a substantial rate year on year. Huge changes have to be made if we are “to save everything” and not simply shuffle the cards using the same deck and still be killing as many species. 

OSR – Oil Seed Rape.

Pesticides – an overall generic term now used for all “cides”. Insecticides, Herbicides, Fungicides,  Rodenticides and so on.

Chris

Log hive at a French Chateau

Chateau bees.

It’s not unusual to get called out to bee swarms and colonies between the windows and shutters of French houses. It is after all an ideal space if the shutters are closed.  The other day I was called to one in a Chateau, all very straight forward with a nice sized window for the Ruchette, (small hive box).

Victoria, the woman from the Chateau, wondered if they had come from the bees in the large section of Lime tree trunk from the tree that they had cut down in the late autumn.  Immediately she had my attention and so the story unfolded. It seems the tree had to be cut down as it had become dangerous having split in a storm. They insisted that the section with the bees in it be cut out in one large piece and this was later moved to a suitable location in the grounds with the open ends covered up to provide protection but with enough gaps for the bees to come and go. Walking down to where it was I was impressed by the size of it and although it was laid flat on the ground the bees had obviously made the necessary adjustments and were happily going about their business.

Click on images to enlarge.

Maybe not the standard idea of a log hive

Then it turns out there is another honeybee colony high up in one of the chateau towers walls which it seems is always occupied by bees. Of course this may not be a continuous occupation. More likely that from time to time the colony fails and the space attracts a future swarm as is usually the case.

Honeybee colony in the tower wall, entrance circled in red.

The colony that had set up home between the window and shutters was easy enough. They had been there a couple of weeks or probably a little more. Strangely there was quite a lot of brood but no honey and only a little pollen.  They are now safely in my apiary where they are very busy on the Sweet Chestnut that has just started to flower.

Ruchette in the widow, bees happily inside and waiting for me to take them away.

I must add that it’s a great joy to meet people that care about the other creatures we live with and make every effort to accommodate them. Their buildings and grounds are a little wildlife haven.

Chris