Diesel pollution affects honeybees senses

DIESEL pollution makes it harder for honeybees to find flowers - by changing the chemical make-up of their scent, scientists have found.

Honeybees use floral odours to find flowers that will give the best yields of pollen and nectar. But diesel fumes can affect their ability to locate and recognise the plants, potentially affecting pollination and ultimately global food security, the study published in the journal Scientific Reports found.

Dr Tracey Newman, a neuroscientist at the University of Southampton, which carried out the research, said: "Diesel exposure alters floral odours and it's a significant enough change in the chemistry to impact on the honeybee's ability to recognise that odour."

By Press Association reporters