Pollination for the nation

Apiarists transport honey bee colonies to different fields of crops for pollination. Over recent years, bees have been dying at a rate the U.S. government says is economically unsustainable. Honey bees pollinate plants that produce about a quarter of the food consumed by Americans, including apples, watermelons and beans.

A lawsuit has now been filed by environmental groups in the United States seeking an injunction restricting the approval of a controversial class of pesticides known as neonicotinoids, or 'neonics'. These pesticides have become a subject of scrutiny in Europe and the U.S. as concern has mounted that they harm honeybees and other pollinators. (Reuters)

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