As usual, the news media has cherry-picked this story to bolster their bias. Excerpts from a more informed article on the studies:

> Researchers from the Centre for Neuroscience have been awarded funding of £1.8million to examine whether the use of pesticides is hampering the cognitive functions of bees - and possibly hastening their demise.

> It is one of nine projects to share in a £10million funding package announced today as part of National Insect Week. The funding is provided by the Insect Pollinators Initiative, which aims to explore the causes and consequences of threats to insect pollinators, ensure that the pollination of agricultural and horticultural crops is protected and that biodiversity in natural ecosystems is maintained.

> No single cause for pollinator decline has been identified, and the reasons behind it are thought to be complex and involve interactions between the pollinator, the environment and the pests/diseases that affect these insects.

> The projects will look at different aspects of the decline of insect pollinators. Some will focus on specific species and/or diseases; others will look more broadly at factors affecting the health and survival of some or all pollinating insects. The initiative brings together researchers from many disciplines including ecology, molecular biology, mathematics, and computing.

> In summary, this project will be seeking to understand the molecular basis of learning and memory in bees using our knowledge of mammalian processes and address if, and how, these are affected by pesticide exposure.

Dundee Neuroscience News
Impairment of brain function may hold clue to decline of bee numbers
http://www.dundee.ac.uk/medschool/neuroscience/dundee-news

             ***********************************************
The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software.  For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html

Guidelines for posting to BEE-L can be found at:
http://honeybeeworld.com/bee-l/guidelines.htm