As has been often observed 'Life is just one dam thing after another' and you couldn't blame bees for thinking this with the news of another way we screw their lives up.
Researchers from the universities of Southampton and Reading suggest that toxic nitrous oxide (NOx) in diesel exhausts could be having an even greater effect on bees' ability to smell out flowers than was previously thought.
NOx is a poisonous pollutant produced by diesel engines which is harmful to humans, and has also previously been shown to confuse bees' sense of smell, which they rely on to sniff out their food.
The study found that there is now evidence to show that, of the 11 most common single compounds in floral odours, five can be chemically altered by exposure to NOx gases from exhaust fumes.
Volkswagen announced 'Emissions from our cars are tested to the highest standards and don't contribute to polution in .........oh........ No comment'
If you've ever been galley slave on a small yacht (pronounced 'yaa-ughch-t') you'll know how nauseating diesel fumes are. Imagine if you were a tiny bee! They'd make you faint at the very least.
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