AUSTIN, TEXAS — Monsanto is being accused of killing off bees around the world, reports NPR.<br /><br />Bees are being exposed to glyphosate, an ingredient in weed killer, according to a new study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences<br /><br />Scientists painted the bees' backs with colored dots to track them, and found that glyphosate significantly decreased the amount of healthy gut bacteria in honey bees.<br /><br />This could increase the chance of bees receiving infections or even dying because of harmful bacteria.<br /><br />They believe glyphosate may be contributing to "colony collapse disorder," a phenomenon when bee colonies are wiped out.<br /><br />Scientists encouraged the public to avoid spraying using weed killers that contain glyphosate when they are spraying their flowers.<br /><br />The researchers involved say better guidelines are needed to regulate use of glyphosate in order to protect bees.<br /><br />In a statement, Monsanto denied the accusations and claims "no large-scale study has ever found a link between glyphosate and honey bee health issues."
