Spider venom takes the sting out of pesticides for honeybees

Spiders could be the key to saving bees from harmful toxins after researchers found a bio-pesticide created using spider venom and a plant protein is highly toxic to a number of insect pests – but safe for honeybees.

Approximately 90 per cent of world’s plants rely on pollinators, such as honeybees, to survive.

Common neonicotinoid pesticides are believed to be behind the catastrophic decline in honeybees and this decline could have a serious impact on food production.

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