The Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH) is undertaking research to quantify the impact on honeybees of two commercial neonicotinoids seed treatments in commercially grown crops of oilseed rape (‘Clothianidin’ Bayer CropScience and ‘Thiamethoxam’ Syngenta).

A pan-European, field experiment has been designed and will be delivered during 2014-2015. The results will provide policy makers and regulators with independent, high quality scientific evidence on the effects of neonicotinoids (NNI) on honeybees and help to inform their decisions.

CEH researchers have designed, and are overseeing, the delivery of this trial. The work aligns with NERC and CEH’s scientific aim of monitoring the impacts of human actions on the environment.