Nobody knows for sure why bees are dying, and it's likely that a number of factors are in play, not least a decline in food sources. But there is strong evidence to suggest that
neonicotinoid pesticides
are a major part of the problem. They have already been banned in many European countries.
Neonicotinoid pesticides work by upsetting the central nervous systems of insects. Bees coming into contact with them are less able to forage, fly, learn and communicate. Neonicotinoids were introduced precisely at the time that the decline in bee numbers started. The Bach Centre’s garden – which contains many remedy plants – has been left semi-wild and stocked with wildflowers so that it’s a good source of food for bees. But wildlife-friendly gardening by itself may not be enough to save the bees.
‘The remedy plants grow wild and rely on insects for pollination,’ says Bach Centre gardener Emma Broad. ‘The threat to honeybees isn’t just bad news for beekeepers – it’s bad news for everyone who makes or uses Bach remedies.’
