Mass. beekeepers worried about impact of pesticide

LEICESTER, Mass. -- Worcester-area beekeepers are concerned that the pesticide being used to eradicate the Asian longhorned beetle from the region's trees may also endanger their hives.

Some members of the Worcester County Beekeepers Association say they will relocate their hives away from maple trees injected with imidacloprid (IM'-i-da-CLO'-prid), citing reports from Europe suggesting that the pesticide contributed to a significant decline in bee populations.

The beekeepers are worried that honeybees will be drawn to the pollen of pesticide-injected Norway maples in the spring.

Jeffrey Pettis of the U.S. Department of Agriculture says the exact impact of the pesticide on bee colonies is not clear, but he suggested beekeepers take whatever action they think is prudent.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)