Bee populations threatened by pesticides and failed Sahara rewilding effort

Recent research shows that the insecticide sulfoxaflor, used in modern agriculture, can disrupt the reproductive genes of the bumblebee Bombus impatiens. Laboratory colonies exposed to low doses exhibited altered ovarian gene expression, reduced fertility and a breakdown in colony replacement cycles, prompting calls for stricter toxicological assessments.

A separate initiative attempted to combat desertification in the Sahara by transporting millions of honeybees to pollinate newly planted vegetation. Extreme heat caused the wax of the hives to melt, leading to colony collapse. The effort highlighted the limits of simply adding pollinators to arid soils without addressing water retention. Local communities have since turned to semicircular earthworks that slow runoff and improve soil moisture, a method shown to support vegetation more reliably than bee introductions.