A country wide ban has been placed on several chemical pesticides containing neonicotinoid. These pesticides include, but are not limited to, clothianidin, imidacloprid, fipronil and thiamethoxam. The ban comes after a massive death of millions of honeybees thought to be linked to residual chemicals left on the blooms of the plants sprayed with the pesticides.
Honeybees are needed as a source of pollination in flower, fruits and vegetables. Without pollination, the flowers appearing on plants will not produce foods or seeds for further generations. The Bayer CropScience company produces the four most common pesticides used in Italy. The pesticides, clothianidin, imidacloprid, fipronil and thiamethoxam, were part of a series of studies completed by the Bayer Corporation. The studies claimed the residue left after spraying would be of no harm to the honeybees. After the deaths of millions of honeybees, the studies are thought to be flawed or tainted.
