Nature & Environment

Mystery of 3 million bees that died in one night has finally been solved

By T.K. Randall
January 15, 2024

Image: Bees
Credit: Tashkoskim / CC BY-SA 4.0 (adapted) When beekeepers discovered huge numbers of dead bees littering the ground in Northern San Diego last year, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) wasted no time in launching an investigation.

Whatever had befallen the insects seemed to have happened quickly, which for a time left experts scratching their heads as they attempted to get to the bottom of the mystery.

Now, at last, the results of the investigation have been published and it turns out that the bees had been deliberately poisoned with Fipronil - a type of broad-spectrum insecticide.

Most had been exposed to double the lethal amount of the substance.

"We suspect malice because all nearby orchards had no reported use of Fipronil and nearby aperies did not have positioning either," bee sanctuary worker Dominic Peck told ABC10."It seems to be directed towards us. We cannot say that for sure, but we are moving out of the area to be safe."

The poison in question is actually prohibited for landcape and agriculture use for the very reason that it disrupts the central nervous system of the insects.

"Considerable love, sweat and bee stings go into our bee rescues and their healthy rehabilitation," the sanctuary wrote on its fundraising page.

"This poisoning event has been so devastating to experience. You can't imagine how sad it is to not only see so many of the bees you cared for die all at once but also watch them suffering in a death spiral over multiple days."

"It's heartbreaking."


Source: NDTV.com

Tags: Bees