The UK government has granted emergency approval for the use of a neonicotinoid pesticide, known to harm bees, for the fourth consecutive year. This permission applies specifically to the

treatment of sugar beet seeds and has been deemed necessary to combat the spread of the Virus Yellows disease transmitted by aphids. Despite the sugar industry's commitment to finding an alternative by the end of 2023, the emergency approval reflects the severity of the threat posed by the crop virus.

The pesticide, thiamethoxam, disrupts bees' navigation and reproductive abilities. Environmental and wildlife groups criticize the decision, while the government emphasizes its "necessary and proportionate" approach to address the Virus Yellows threat. The pesticide's usage is conditional on meeting scientifically verified infection thresholds in March, limiting its application to specific circumstances. Photo by Charles J. Sharp, Wikimedia commons.