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- Mass died bees in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Mass died bees in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Brazil
last update:
3 months agoProblems
Causes of mass death of bees in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Some of the most integral pollinators in nature, bees contribute to the reproduction of various plants. About 75% of the world's crops depend on pollination by bees, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reports. FAO has warned about the importance of protecting bees to ensure food security. With 500 million dead in Brazil, the future of food has come into question. Aldo Machado, vice president of Brazil's Rio Grande do Sul beekeeping association, told Bloomberg his colony was decimated in less than 48 hours after some of the bees first showed signs of illness. "As soon as the healthy bees began clearing the dying bees out of the hives, they became contaminated. They started dying en masse," Machado said. Lab research points to pesticides with neonicotinoids and fipronil — products banned in Europe — as the main cause of death for most bees in Brazil. The use of pesticides in Brazil has increased, according to Greenpeace, with 193 products containing chemicals banned in the EU being registered in Brazil in the last three years. Brazil has become the biggest buyer of pesticides in the world. The country uses pesticides because its economy is so reliant on agriculture.
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Timelines
2026
February
Reports from rural and traditional beekeeping communities in Brazil indicate that vast, industrial eucalyptus plantations—such as those operated by the pulp and paper giant Suzano—have severely impacted local bee populations. Beekeepers have documented and denounced how these large-scale operations cause bee die-offs due to three main factors: • Pesticide Use: The aerial and ground application of toxic chemical pesticides on large monoculture plantations often drifts into adjacent areas, leading to direct mortality of foraging bees. • Monoculture Deserts: Eucalyptus monocultures replace diverse, native flora with homogenous landscapes. This lack of floral diversity deprives bees of the varied pollen sources they need for proper nutrition and hive health. • Water Depletion: Industrial plantations require immense amounts of water, which can dry up local springs and streams, further stressing the local environment and surrounding bee habitats.
2024
June
Beekeepers estimate the loss of up to 60,000 hives in the recent floods in Rio Grande do Sul, from April through to May. Floods are severely affecting honey production and pollination in Rio Grande do Sul. The state, which contributes 15% to Brazil's honey production, saw a 10% loss in its bee population in 2023, with an estimated 35 to 60 thousand hives lost. The floods also damaged the crucial May flowering, resulting in low honey stocks. A reconstruction plan includes the establishment of the Taquari Beekeeping Park, donations of bees from other states, and government-subsidized food for surviving hives. Sebrae is providing support through the Sebraetec Supera program to assist affected rural producers.
2019
More than half a billion bees dropped dead in Brazil within just three months, according to Bloomberg. The mass deaths of bees were reported by beekeepers in four Brazilian states. In Rio Grande do Sul alone, 400 million dead bees were found, 7 million in São Paulo, 50 million in Santa Catarina and 45 million Mato Grosso do Sul.
2018
On April 27, the EU states have banned imposed the outdoor use of three insecticides from the neonicotinoids group because of the serious harm it could cause to bees. But Brazil lifted restrictions on pesticides - despite opposition from environmentalists who called it the "poison package".
2014
The link between pesticides and the decline of bee populations has long been studied. Studied from Harvard University found pesticides play a key role in killing off the honey bee population.
