Pesticides, Pests, and Pollinators: A Delicate Balance

The video discusses the impact of aphids on crops and how farmers use pesticides to control them. However, these pesticides can harm beneficial insects like honey bees. Honey bees face additional threats from varroa mites and pathogens, which can weaken them further when they are already affected by pesticides.

What is the primary way aphids damage crops?

• By spreading plant viruses

• By laying eggs on the fruit

• By sucking sap from leaves and stems

• By eating the roots

What additional problem does honeydew cause on crops?

• It helps a harmful fungus grow

• It attracts beneficial insects

• It increases the crop yield

• It makes the crops taste sweeter

How do pesticides negatively affect honey bees?

• They make bees more aggressive

• They cause bees to produce less honey

• They increase the bee population

• They can make bees sick or even cause death

What is a varroa mite?

• A type of pesticide

• A beneficial insect for crops

• A disease that affects plants

• A pest that harms honey bees

Why are varroa mites particularly dangerous to honey bees already exposed to pesticides?

• They make bees more resistant to pesticides

• They weaken bees further, making it harder for them to fight off diseases

• They spread more quickly among healthy bees

• They are less harmful to bees exposed to pesticides