Microplastics can confuse bees and other insects, harming plant pollination. This was reported by Washinhgton Post, reports UNN.
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According to research, small plastic particles can make bees more vulnerable to bacteria and viruses. When bees are exposed to microplastic pollution, their memory becomes so confused that they may forget the scents.
If bees consume or inhale microplastics, they can damage their intestines and enter their brains, affecting memory and learning, research has shown. Microplastics can also directly kill insects and affect the quality of honey produced by insects.
In addition to bees, microplastics also harm the flowers themselves, says Gaston Carvalho, an ecologist at the Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso in Chile. According to him, microplastics clog the stigma for the arrival of pollen, so the plant cannot be effectively pollinated — and no seeds are formed.