Neonics, Honey Bees, and Food Security

This briefing by the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment examines the impact of neonicotinoid pesticides on honey bees, biodiversity, and global food security, with a specific focus on the agricultural landscapes of Ontario and Québec.

• Neonicotinoids, or "neonics", are systemic insecticides that represent more than 25% of the global market share. They are absorbed by plants and found in pollen, nectar, and tissues, exposing pollinators through these sources or through dust during planting.
• A multi-disciplinary Task Force reviewing 1,121 peer-reviewed studies found that neonics and fipronil are extremely toxic to most arthropods and toxic to vertebrates like fish and birds. They are water-soluble, persistent in soil, and linked to acute honeybee colony losses and impaired bee health, including reduced fecundity and increased disease susceptibility.
• Honey bee colony over-wintering losses in Canada increased from a historical average of 10-15% to 29% over a nine-year period. In Ontario, losses reached 58% in the winter of 2013 and 38% in 2014. Health Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency concluded that neonic pesticides contributed to these abnormally high mortality rates.
• In Ontario, nearly all corn seeds and 65% of soy seeds are treated with neonics. The provincial government passed legislation to reduce the acreage of neonic-treated corn and soy seeds by 80% by 2017, targeting imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, and clothianidin, with a goal of reducing hive mortality to 15% by 2020.
• In Québec, nearly all corn seeds and 35-50% of soy seeds are treated with neonicotinoids, covering over 500,000 hectares. The Québec government's 2015-2018 pesticide strategy aims to reduce neonic use by prohibiting aesthetic use in lawns and flowerbeds and requiring mandatory agronomic prescriptions.
• The total loss of animal pollinators could significantly impact global food security. A Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health study estimated that global supplies of fruits would decrease by 23%, vegetables by 16%, and nuts and seeds by 22%, potentially increasing global deaths from nutrition-related and chronic diseases by 1.42 million people annually.
• Evidence suggests neonic seed treatments may provide little economic benefit. The US EPA found they provide "negligible overall benefits to soybean production in most situations," and CÉROM inc. found that in corn, neonic seed coats did not significantly increase yields even when pests were present.
• There are indications that neonics may affect human health. The European Food Safety Authority recommended reducing exposure levels for acetamiprid and imidacloprid due to evidence they may adversely affect human brain development.

APA

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (n.d.). Neonics, Honey Bees, and Food Security. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/1.CAPE-Backgrounder-Neonics-Honey-Bees-Food-Security.pdf

Chicago

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. Neonics, Honey Bees, and Food Security. n.d. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/1.CAPE-Backgrounder-Neonics-Honey-Bees-Food-Security.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment |title=Neonics, Honey Bees, and Food Security |url=https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/1.CAPE-Backgrounder-Neonics-Honey-Bees-Food-Security.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{canadianassociationofphysiciansfortheenvironmentndneonics, author = {{Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}}, title = {{Neonics, Honey Bees, and Food Security}}, institution = {Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}, url = {https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/1.CAPE-Backgrounder-Neonics-Honey-Bees-Food-Security.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }