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HWN Suggests

Why it’s time to curb widespread use of neonicotinoid pesticides

Neonicotinoids are very good at killing insects. In many cases they require only parts per billion, equivalent to a few drops of insecticide in a swimming pool of water.

In recent years, concerns have been raised about the influence of neonicotinoids on bee populations. As an applied insect ecologist and extension specialist who works with farmers on pest control, I believe the focus on bees has obscured larger concerns. In my view, U.S. farmers are using these pesticides far more heavily than necessary, with potential negative impacts on ecosystems that are poorly understood.

Pesticides on seeds

Most neonicotinoids in the United States are used…

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  New Evidence Shows Popular Pesticides Could Cause Unintended Harm To Insects

Neonicotinoids are deadly to a wide range of insects, but they are relatively safe for people and other mammals; much safer, for instance, than an older family of insecticides called organophosphates. In recent years, farmers have rapidly increased their use of neonics. Most corn and soybean seeds that are planted in the United States now come pre-coated with them. Another study published this week argues that this shift has made American agriculture dramatically more toxic for insects.

 EPA Releases Proposed Interim Decisions for Neonicotinoids

EPA is taking the next step in its regulatory review of neonicotinoid pesticides - a group of insecticides used on a wide variety of crops, turf, ornamentals, pets (for flea treatment), and other residential and commercial indoor and outdoor uses. The agency’s proposed interim decisions for acetamiprid, clothianidin, dinotefuran, imidacloprid, and thiamethoxam contain new measures to reduce potential ecological risks, particularly to pollinators, and protect public health.

Articles of Interest

Pesticides Linked to Honeybee Deaths Pose More Risks, European Group Says

An influential European scientific body said on Wednesday that a group of pesticides believed to contribute to mass deaths of honeybees is probably more damaging to ecosystems than previously thought and questioned whether the substances had a place in sustainable agriculture. The finding could have repercussions on both sides of the Atlantic for the companies that produce the chemicals, which are known as neonicotinoids because of their chemical similarity to nicotine. Global sales of the chemicals reach into the billions of dollars.

Strongest evidence yet that neonicotinoids are killing bees

There can be little doubt now that the world’s most widely used insecticides are bad for bees. Two new studies add to the mountain of evidence that neonicotinoids are harmful to pollinators, and add to the pressure for Europe, at least, to introduce a full ban. The European Union has had a temporary moratorium on using three major neonicotinoids on bee-attractive crops since 2013, though farmers can apply for emergency authorisation to keep using them.

The bitter battle over the world’s most popular insecticides

As regulators consider a ban on neonicotinoids, debate rages over the harm they cause to bees.

The World’s Most Popular Insecticides Are Messing With Bees

They’re turning them into incompetent pollinators, which is bad news for plants—and humans.

Are pesticides killing all the honeybees? It's complicated.

Let's unpack that sentence: Neonicotinoids, or "neonics," are a relatively new class of pesticides that are derived from nicotine and affect the nervous systems of insects. They are usually applied to seeds and taken up by the plant itself. Neonics have become popular because they're considered more effective than older insecticides and less toxic to humans — they're widely used on crops like corn, soybeans, and canola. Studies have also found that honeybees are likely exposed to low levels of neonics through pollen, nectar, or dust.

Neonicotinoid pesticides found in honey from every continent

The evidence has been mounting for years that the world’s most widely used pesticides, neonicotinoids, harm bees and other pollinating insects. Now it seems the problem isn’t limited to Europe and North America, where the alarm was first sounded. It’s everywhere.

Pesticides are making bees dumber

Even if they survive, they might not thrive.

Pesticides Are Really Messing With Bees

All of which means we may be at a crossroads: a future without neonics, or a future without bees. And we're running out of time to choose.

Scientists found bee-killing neonicotinoids in 75% of honey sampled from around the world

The amount of neonicotinoids sampled from honey around the globe does not rise to the level that would be dangerous for humans, the research says. Still, it bolsters the suspicion by many scientists that pesticides containing neonicotinoids play a significant role in the declining bee populations.

We Have Even More Evidence That Pesticides Are Hurting Bees

Bee populations—both wild and kept—have been sliding since the 1990s. Colony collapse disorder has decimated honeybees in some places, affecting as many as half of all hives. Losing bees is a big problem for farmers, who rely on them to pollinate certain crops, and for ecosystems, which bees frequently play key roles in. Scientists have pointed to a number of possible causes for declining bee numbers. One frequent suspect is a class of insecticides called neonicotinoids. As you might guess from the name, chemicals in this family all share a similar structure that fits into the same central nervous system receptor as nicotine. An insect who eats a sufficient dose is paralyzed or killed.