Infographic: Bees’ Toxic Problem | Earthjustice

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Nearly 1/3 of honey bees have perished in just a few years, and honeybees pollinate 1/3 of all the food we eat. This is a closer look at a major cause of widespread bee die-offs, what it means to us, how we can help.

When the sweet life goes sour. Let's start with pesticides.

How 'neonics' harm honey bees.

A picnic without bees. Bees are critical to U.S. food supplies. 1/3 of the foods we eat are pollinated by these creatures.

The big picture: Honey production is the best overall indicator of bees' health. That's because sick bees make less honey. Here's a look at U.S. honey production since the bee killing class of pesticides neonicotinoids came into the picture.

Update: On Sept. 19, 2017, the First District California Court of Appeal rejected California's approval of two powerful neonicotinoid insecticides: sold under the trademarks Venom Insecticide and Dinotefuran 20SG. Earthjustice represented Pesticide Action Network, Center for Food Safety, and Beyond Pesticides in the legal challenge, filed in 2014. (Read more.)

Two years earlier, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals concluded EPA violated federal law when it approved sulfoxaflor without reliable studies regarding the impact the insecticide would have on honeybee colonies. The Court vacated EPA’s approval, meaning that sulfoxaflor may not be used in the U.S. unless, and until, EPA obtains the necessary information regarding impacts to honeybees and re-approves the insecticide in accordance with the law. Earthjustice represented the beekeeping industry writ large in this case. (Read more.)

Related: Attorney Greg Loarie discusses Earthjustice's litigation to get the pesticide sulfoxaflor off the market, due to threats it poses to honeybees.