We who love bees grow weary of incessant bad news about declining bee health. Positive news from the apian world gives some relief as we step into a new year.
In 2024, Vermont became the latest state to crack down on agricultural use of neonic pesticides. Neonics, a class of chemicals, wreaks havoc on bee populations and has been banned in Europe.
The new Vermont law restricts widespread use of seeds coated with the neurotoxic chemical. The National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) says a single neonic-coated corn seed contains enough active ingredients to kill a quarter million bees. A high percentage of the pesticide coating leaches into the environment to contaminate soil, water, native plants, and wildlife.
New York’s Birds and Bees Protection Act, passed in 2023, restricts agricultural use of certain neonic pesticides. It went into effect in July, 2024. The act aims to protect pollinators and the environment, and promote sustainable agriculture.
In March, 2024, Washington became the 11th state to restrict residential use of neonics, joining California, Colorado, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
At year’s end, Washington State and the US Department of Agriculture announced that murder hornets had been eradicated.
The giant, Asian hornets were first reported in North America on Vancouver Island, Canada, and later spotted in Washington. Teams began to target and eliminate hornets’ nests. The public cooperated by reporting hornet sightings. Officials believe the hornets never migrated out of Washington.
Scientists used dental floss to attach tiny radio trackers to live hornets and then follow them back to their nests. Outfitted like astronauts, teams in protective gear arrived to eliminate the nests. Officials credit the alert public with helping them identify and find the insects.
The insects known as “slaughter hornets” for the way they mount a group attack, posed a serious threat to honeybees. Hornets can wipe out an entire hive in minutes, even though honeybees bravely fight back. A researcher recorded the panic inside a hive when giant hornets arrived. It sounded like screaming.
The hornets posed a threat to wildlife, too, and to humans who are allergic to hornet stings. An attack by multiple hornets could trigger serious consequences in nonallergic people.
No one knows how the hornets got to the US. Hornets are consumed as food throughout Asia, and used in traditional medicines. It is possible some were illegally imported. Or they may have stowed away accidentally on international shipments.
No confirmed sightings have occurred in three years. That does not mean the hornets won’t come back. But people will keep a sharp eye out for them. In the meantime, Washington beekeepers are breathing easier.
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