A report published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B (Biological Sciences) in July 2016 found clear evidence that neonicotinoid insecticides were affecting the fertility of drones. In the study, the team, led by Lars Straun, studied the effects on drones of sublethal doses of thiamethoxam (Helix XTra~R and Cruiser~R from Syngenta) and clothianidin (Poncho, Prosper, and Votivo from Bayer), both of which are very commonly used in seed dressings and are systemic insecticides which remain in theentire plant including nectar and pollen. The dressings also contain fungicides which have now been shown to increase the effects on pollinators of the other chemicals.
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