Bees are wiped out by the weed killer

Bees are wiped out by Britain's most popular weed killer, a new study warns.

According to the study, the active ingredient in Roundup destroys "good bacteria" in the intestines of insects, making them more vulnerable to deadly infections.

He suggests that glyphosate contributes to the decline of honey bees and native species worldwide. Bumblebees should have the same effects.

The US research team advises gardeners not to spray on plants most likely to be visited by vital pollinators.

These include roses, lilacs, lavender, wisteria, mint, sunflower, poppy and honeysuckle.

Erick Motta, a biologist at the University of Texas at Austin, said, "We need better guidelines for the use of glyphosate – especially with regard to bee exposure.

"Right now, the guidelines assume that the herbicide does not harm bees – our study shows that this is not true."

Evidence Roundup – the most popular weed killer in history in the world – plays a key role in the decline of bees after fears that they endanger human health.

Earlier this year, its makers Monsanto, the US giant of agriculture, were sentenced to pay Dewayne Johnson, 46.68 million dollars, damages.

A jury ruled that Roundup had caused the cancer of the former resident of the San Francisco School and that the company had not warned him of the dangers of exposure to his health.

The father of three children said he developed a form of blood cancer after being accidentally flooded twice during a roundup while he was spraying school classes at work. He also had the chemical regularly in his face.

Since the 1990s, he has been associated with liver and kidney disease, infertility, congenital anomalies and glyphosate cancer.

The latest study found that bees exposed to glyphosate lose some of their beneficial intestinal bacteria.

This makes them vulnerable to parasitic mites such as Varroa and Acarapis that carry deadly viruses for bees.

The results, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, show that the chemical could contribute to the alarming loss of bee colonies.

It interferes with an important enzyme found in plants and microorganisms – but not in animals. It has long been assumed that it is not toxic to humans and bees.

But by modifying the gut microbiome of a bee, Roundup compromises its ability to fight the infection, said the researchers.

It's the community of bacteria living in its digestive tract – including those that protect it from harmful bacteria.

Mr. Motta, a graduate student, and his teacher Nancy Moran, exposed bees to glyphosate at known levels in fields, gardens, and roadsides.

They painted the backs of the insects with colored dots so they could follow them and recapture them later.

Three days later, they observed that the herbicide was significantly reducing healthy intestinal bacteria.

Four of the eight dominant species of these bugs in exposed bees were found to be less abundant.

The hardest hit – Snodgrassella alvi – is a critical microbe that helps bees to process food and defend against pathogens.

Bees with altered microbiomes were also much more likely to die when they were subsequently exposed to the bacterium Serratia marcescens that infects bees worldwide.

Only one in ten was still alive eight days later, compared to half of the healthy bees.

Prof Moran said, "Studies in humans, bees, and other animals have shown that the gut microbiome is a stable community that resists infection by opportunistic invaders.

"So, if you disrupt the normal, stable community, you're more susceptible to this invasion of pathogens."

According to the results, they recommend that farmers, landscapers and homeowners avoid spraying Roundup or other glyphosate herbicides on flowering plants that bees are likely to visit.

More than ten years ago, American beekeepers began to find their hives decimated by what was called the colony collapse disorder.

Millions of bees have mysteriously disappeared – leaving holdings with fewer pollinators for crops.

Explanations of the phenomenon include exposure to pesticides or antibiotics, loss of habitat and bacterial infections.

The researchers said the latest study adds herbicides as a possible factor.

Mr. Motta said, "This is not the only cause of death for these bees – but it is certainly something that people should be concerned about because glyphosate is used everywhere.

Native bumblebees have microbiomes similar to honey bees. Thus, Professor Moran stated that it was likely that they would be affected by glyphosate in the same way.

Roundup was launched in 1974 by the American giant Monsanto who marketed it as a technological breakthrough capable of killing almost all weeds without harming humans or the environment.

Despite concerns over Glysophate consumption since Roundup's use in the United Kingdom, agriculture has grown by a staggering 400% over the last 20 years.

One-third of UK farmland is now treated with glyphosate. There are now more than 20 glyphosate suppliers in Europe, Roundup remains the market leader, bringing in about 1.5 billion pounds a year worldwide.