Bees' search for food is hindered by
exhaust fumes
Diesel fumes may be reducing the availability of almost half the
most common flower odours that bees use to find their food, new
research has found.
The new findings suggest that toxic nitrous oxide (NOx) in diesel
exhausts could be having an even greater effect on bees’ ability to
smell out flowers than was previously thought.
NOx is a poisonous pollutant produced by diesel engines which is
harmful to humans, and has also previously been shown to confuse
bees’ sense of smell, which they rely on to sniff out their food.
Researchers from the University of Southampton and the University of
Reading found that there is now evidence to show that, of the eleven
most common single compounds in floral odours, five have can be
chemically altered by exposure to NOx gases from exhaust fumes.
Lead author Dr Robbie Girling, from the University of Reading’s
Centre for Agri-Environmental Research (formerly of University of
Southampton), said: “Bees are worth millions to the British economy
alone, but we know they have been in decline worldwide.
“We don’t think that air pollution from diesel vehicles is the main
reason for this decline, but our latest work suggests that it may
have a worse effect on the flower odours needed by bees than we
initially thought.
“People rely on bees and pollinating insects for a large proportion
of our food, yet humans have paid the bees back with habitat
destruction, insecticides, climate change and air pollution.
“This work highlights that pollution from dirty vehicles is not only
dangerous to people’s health, but could also have an impact on our
natural environment and the economy.”
Co-author Professor Guy Poppy, from the Institute of Life Sciences
at the University of Southampton, said: “It is becoming clear that
bees are at risk from a range of stresses from neonicitinoid
insecticides through to varroa mites. Our research highlights that a
further stress could be the increasing amounts of vehicle emissions
affecting air quality. Whilst it is unlikely that these emissions by
themselves could be affecting bee populations, combined with the
other stresses, it could be the tipping point.”
This latest research is part of continuing studies into the effects
of air pollution on bees. Previous work in 2013 found that bees in
the lab could be confused by the effects of diesel pollution. Dr
Girling and Dr Tracey Newman from the University of Southampton are
currently studying how diesel fumes may have direct effects on the
bees themselves.