Honeybees and Seed Treatments
You may have heard of the concerns in some Member States that the use of certain seed treatments may pose a potential risk to honeybees at the time of planting. This is due to a recent incident in Germany that is currently getting wide press coverage. The active substance clothianidin used to treat maize seed was implicated. It is believed that dust produced during the planting of the treated seed drifted onto adjacent flowering plants and resulted in exposure of foraging honeybees. In this incident the treatment was applied at 125 g active substance/ha to control the corn rootworm, Diabrotica vergifera. It is also suspected that inadequate sticker was used, so the treatment did not adhere effectively to the seed.
In the UK clothianidin is approved at a maximum of 60 g active substance/ha on maize. As long as the seed is treated correctly and planted efficiently no, or negligible, dust will be produced as the seed is drilled. Use in line with the approved conditions of use should pose minimal risk to bees. Also in Germany, use at the rate of 50 g active substance/ha, comparable to that in the UK, has not caused problems. These have only occurred in the circumstances outlined above.
We are not aware of any problem in the UK related to any seed treatments and bees. There have not been any incidents reported to the Wildlife Incident Investigation Scheme (WIIS) to date which could be connected to the use of seed treatments. Given the vigilance of UK beekeepers it is highly unlikely that any incidents would have gone unnoticed.
We currently have no concerns but will, of course, keep a close watch on the situation both with respect to clothianidin and other seed treatments.
Should you suspect an incident has occurred, please report it to the Wildlife Incident Investigation Scheme (WIIS) so that it can be investigated. The free phone number is 0800 321600.