Pesticides applied to farm crops don't stay where they're put — they drift into nearby wildflowers and linger in pollen for weeks after application ends, exposing bees to a broader chemical cocktail than anyone intended. Weekly pollen analysis from five beehives over two growing seasons confirmed this contamination is widespread, persistent, and tied to specific crop-spraying events.
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Pesticide residues were detected in pollen from untreated wildflowers near crop fields, confirming meaningful off-target drift beyond spray zones
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The neonicotinoid insecticide acetamiprid persisted in pollen for weeks after the application period ended
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The fungicide cyprodinil reached concentrations as high as 1,025 μg/kg in pollen samples collected from the study colonies
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