Air pollution could be cutting short life span of honey bees: Indian study

Team Udayavani, Aug 13, 2020, 6:10 PM IST

According to a recent study, air pollution could be affecting health of honey bees. In the study lead by National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) researchers have shown evidence of air pollution’s adverse effect on Apis dorsata, the Gian Asian honey bee, which are also found in the cities

Researchers observed bees collected from four sites in Bengaluru, each having different air pollution standards, for over three years.

It is said that the bees collected at more polluted sites were far more likely to be flecked with particulate matter containing toxic heavy metals such as arsenic and lead

The study lead by Prof Shannon Olsson , Postdoctoral scholar Dr Geetha Thimmegowda along with eight member team, was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA