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Male honey bees vulnerable to neonicotinoids, study finds
drone
After colony-level exposure, males were found to have shorter lifespans and produce fewer living sperm.
Impacts on males could be significant for the colony

International scientists are calling for greater action to protect bees after discovering that two neonicotinoids can reduce the lifespan and number of living sperm produced by male honey bees. It is the first study ever to explore the impact of these chemicals on drones.

There is currently a partial ban on the three widely used neonicotinoid insecticides - thiamethoxam, clothianidin and imidacloprid - in the European Union and Switzerland. Past research indicates exposure to these chemicals has lethal and sub-lethal effects on honey bee females, but nothing was known about how they impact males.

A new study led by the University of Bern in Switzerland and Agroscope at the Swiss Confederation, in collaboration with colleagues from Thailand and Germany, suggests that male honey bees, or drones, are vulnerable to thiamethoxam and clothianidin.

The findings have been published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B: Biological Sciences.

Males kept in the laboratory after colony-level exposure were found to have shorter lifespans and produce fewer living sperm. This could be having significant consequences for colonies, as the queen bee - who is essential to the functioning of the colony - must be properly inseminated with healthy sperm from multiple males. Recent bee keeper surveys have highlighted poor queen health as important in the loss of honey bee colonies.

Lead author Lars Straub explained: "Most neonicotinoid studies that employ honey bees have focused on workers, which are typically the non-reproductive females of the colony. Male honey bees have really been neglected by honey bee health scientists; while not surprising, these results may turn a few heads."

The research team believe their findings underline the importance of more thorough environmental risk assessments of agricultural chemicals. Millions of honey bee colonies in Europe and North America produce honey and pollinate a range of agricultural crops, offering crucial economic and ecosystem benefits. Yet bee keepers throughout the northern hemisphere have struggled to maintain healthy honey bee colonies in recent years.

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Vets to run marathon for World Animal Protection

News Story 1
 Two recently graduated veterinary surgeons will be running the London Marathon in April to raise money for the charity World Animal Protection.

Alex Bartlett and Maeve O'Neill plan to run the race together if they are given the same start times.

Dr O'Neill said: "You're always limited in what you can do to help animals, so it is nice to raise money for a charity that helps animals around the world."

Dr Bartlett added: "I have never run a marathon before and am excited to run my first one for such a good cause!"

Both Dr Bartlett and Dr O'Neill have fundraising pages online. 

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News Shorts
BSAVA releases new Guide to Procedures

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has published a new edition of its Guide to Procedures for Small Animal Practice.

It has added four new procedures; cystostomy tube placement, endotracheal intubation, point-of-care ultrasound and wet-to-dry dressings.

BSAVA says that it is an essential step-by-step guide to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed in practice. The textbook includes new images and illustrations, as well as high-definition videos for use prior to procedures.

Nick Bexfield and Julia Riggs, editors of the new edition, said: "We have built upon the success of the previous editions by responding to the feedback received from the BSAVA readership, and hope this new guide helps to further increase the confidence and accuracy with which these procedures are performed."

Print copies are available in the BSAVA store, with a digital version in the BSAVA library.