Pollen-Sized Technology Protects Bees from Deadly Insecticides

A Cornell University-developed technology provides beekeepers, consumers and farmers with an antidote for deadly pesticides which kill wild bees and cause beekeepers to lose a third of their hives on average every year. An early version of the technology detoxified a widely used group of insecticides called organophosphates. The antidote delivery method has now been adapted to effectively protect bees from all insecticides, and has inspired a new company, “Beemmunity.” The company is running colony-scale trials this summer and plans to publicly launch its products in February 2022. Products include microparticle sponges in a dry sugar medium that can be added to pollen patties or sugar water, and consumer bee feeders. The research received funding from USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. For more information, read the Cornell Chronicle article.