- Title: Buzz of Brazilian bees fades as pesticide use grows
- Date: 17th October 2019
- Summary: PORTO ALEGRE, BRAZIL (RECENT - OCTOBER 6, 2019) (REUTERS) MANCHINI LOOKING AT TEST RESULTS OF DEAD BEES VARIOUS, DOCUMENT SHOWING TEST RESULTS OF DEAD BEES PORTO ALEGRE, BRAZIL (RECENT - OCTOBER 12, 2019) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF LAB CONTRACTED BY THE FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF RIO GRANDE DO SUL TO PERFORM TEST ON DEAD BEES BEES IN CONTAINER VARIOUS, TECHNICIAN SAMPLING BEES (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) CHEMICAL AND RESIDUES TECHNICIAN, ANDREA FERREIRA MACHADO, SAYING: "There's a very serious issue also related to Friponil in soluble liquid form. In some of the samples we analyzed along with the bees - the wax, we detected the active agent also in the wax, so that was something of a greater reach, because it ended up affecting other parts of the hive, too."
- 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: LVA004B1HJCQV
- 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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