EAST Lancashire beekeepers and bee lovers have backed a call for the government to ban three pesticides to halt the decline in the population of the industrious honey-producing insect.

With numbers in the area already down by a third and worse expected after last year’s wet summer, they believe the move is vital.

A review by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) concluded that the ‘neonicotinoid’ insecticides should not be used on crops attractive to honey bees, exposing them to harm through pollen and nectar.

One of the main uses in the UK for these pesticides is oilseed rape, which they commonly feed on.

Phil Ainsworth, treasurer of the East Lancashire and Blackburn branch of the British Beekeepers’ Association, and Mary Clear, community chairman of Incredible Edible of Todmorden, have supported the ban.

But Graham Young of the North West National Farmers’ Union called for further research before pro- hibiting them.

Mr Ainsworth said: “We strongly support a ban on these insecticides. The bee population in East Lancashire was down by 33 per cent after 2011 and when we check out colonies in April after the winter, we expect things to be worse following the wet summer.

“Bees are vital to agriculture, flowers and the countryside and work very hard.

“The evidence suggests these pesticides lead to colony collapse and they should be banned.”

Ms Clear, whose organisation plants bee-friendly flowers in the town, said: “I support anything that helps protect bees. Without them we would be up the creek.”

NFU Lancashire representative Graham Young of Greenhurst Farm, Samlesbury, said: “There needs to be further research to show a ban is needed.

“I was talking to a friend who keeps bees in the Ribble Valley and she said a lot of factors have affected them this year.

“There is a knock-on effect on farming and food production of banning pesticides unnecessarily.”

Concerns have been raised that exposure to neonicotinoids can have an immediate or long-term effect on bee colony survival and development and that sub-lethal doses can have impacts such as damaging foraging behaviour.