- Title: Buzz of Brazilian bees fades as pesticide use grows
- Date: 17th October 2019
- Summary: PORTO ALEGRE, BRAZIL (RECENT - OCTOBER 12, 2019) (REUTERS) TRACTOR SPRAYING CORN CROP PORTO ALEGRE, BRAZIL (RECENT - OCTOBER 14, 2019) (REUTERS) LOGO AT OFFICES OF FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF RIO GRANDE DO SUL / AGRONOMY PROFESSOR AT FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF RIO GRANDE DO SUL, ARONI SATTLER SATTLER WITH HONEY (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) AGRONOMY PROFESSOR AT THE FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF RIO GRANDE DO SUL, ARONI SATTLER, SAYING: "The big villain in the story of the slaughter of the bees is Fipronil. The neonicotinoids (class of pesticides) play a role too, but the slaughter was from Fipronil. The neonicotinoids have a greater residual effect, but as an after-effect. You don't see that clinical sign that from one day to the next they all die. There are 'x' number of cases out there, and it's not just in (the state of) Rio Grande do Sul, it's practically all over Brazil." PORTO ALEGRE, BRAZIL (RECENT - OCTOBER 7, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS, BRAZILIAN BEEKEEPER, SALVADOR GONCALVES DA SILVA, WORKING WITH HIS HIVES HONEYCOMB GONCALVES DA SILVA WITH BEES (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) BRAZILIAN BEEKEEPER, SALVADOR GONCALVES DA SILVA, SAYING: "It's pretty worrying because with this quantity of agro-toxins that the federal government has unleashed - they've recently unleashed - this is worrying because it's getting to a point where we're not going to have any more (bees) if things keep going this way. We hope it won't, that so many bees won't die, that there won't be any more bee die offs, and that we'll be able to produce (honey)." BEE POLLINATING FLOWERS
- Embargoed: 31st October 2019 15:25
- Keywords: hive poison die off mass killing pesticides Bees bee farming crops
- Location: PORTO ALEGRE, BRAZIL
- City: PORTO ALEGRE, BRAZIL
- Country: Brazil
- Topics: Pollution,Environment,Editors' Choice
- Reuters ID: LVA006B1HJCQV
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: SOME SHOTS ORIGINALLY FILMED IN PORTRAIT
The buzz of bees across Brazil's flowers is growing quieter due to the use of pesticides according to local beekeepers and a study by the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFGRS).
The beekeepers say they have lost thousands of bees over the past year, threatening honey production and crop pollination.
The study by the UFGRS found dead bees and beeswax from local hives contained pesticide residues.
Since January 2019, the government of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro approved 410 new pesticides according to local media. The government defends the use of the new pesticides as a means to raise productivity in the country's important agriculture sector.
Brazilian beekeeper Rogerio Manchini lamented the years-long effort that goes into caring for hives and the effect on his income from the decrease in honey production. "You get there and they're all dead. The sadness stings," he said.
(Production: Sergio Queiroz) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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