Some Nurseries Offer Plants That Are Safe For Bees

MOORHEAD (AP) - As gardeners begin shopping for plants this spring, they may see some marked as safe for bees.

Some nurseries are offering plants that are free of an insecticide that experts have partly blamed for a die-off of bee populations in recent years.

Bachman's is now growing plants at its Lakeville center that are free of the neonicotinoid insecticide. While the insecticide is probably not the only cause of bee deaths, Bachman's chief executive Dale Bachman calls it a precautionary measure.

Meanwhile, a national trade group called AmericanHort is supporting more research on the issue.

University of Minnesota entomology professor Marla Spivak says she hopes the Minnesota Legislature will pass a bill requiring that plants be labeled so consumers know which insecticide is used.