In a first for honeybees, researchers found queens facing chronic pesticide exposure will protect themselves by shunting the toxic chemicals into their eggs, a newly documented defense mechanism known as maternal offloading that may contribute to delayed colony collapse.

In a first for honeybees, researchers found queens facing chronic pesticide exposure will protect themselves by shunting the toxic chemicals into their eggs, a newly documented defense mechanism known as maternal offloading that may contribute to delayed colony collapse.