It’s Time to Understand and Embrace Neonicotinoid Insecticides
Neonicotinoid insecticides aren't the problem for bees that activists have made them out to be. In fact, years of monitoring show proper use of neonicotinoids doesn’t harm bees. But a combination of issues does negatively impact bee health, according to the experts.
In recent years, changes in colony health and fluctuations in bee numbers have caused concern. Multiple influences have challenged hive health and honeybee populations. The list follows.
- The parasitic Varroa mite (largest contributor to bee loss)
- Loss of forage diversity
- Adverse weather conditions
- Bee nutrition
Despite this, the number of bee colonies is growing, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
So, continuing to emphasize farmers best management practices will continue to help protect bees including the use of a relatively new class of insecticides, called neonicotinoids.
Neonicotinoids, more commonly referred to as
Ultimately, neonicotinoids, because of lesser toxicity than other insecticides, became widely used in urban landscapes and on farms. Despite this, there have been calls to ban this class of insecticide.
Researchers from the Universities of Wageningen, Ghent, and Amsterdam summarized 15 years of research on the hazards of neonicotinoids to bees. While many laboratory studies and other studies applying artificial
These findings are in line with many large-scale, multifactorial studies that were undertaken in the U.S.A., Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany and other countries. These studies have shown that poor been health is correlated with the presence of the Varroa mites, viruses and many other factors (above), but not with the use of insecticides, such as
The key is properly using this insecticide to manage pests, as with any insecticide. And properly using
To keep risk to bees, birds, and mammals low, three main strategies must be applied.
1. Follow insecticide label directions;
2. Restrict applications to the soil when possible; and
3. Treat only when you have an infestation.
Finally, neonicotinoids are an important part of maintaining plant and insect health, a critical part of why this class of insecticide has become widely used and is considered important in agriculture.
1. Older, more toxic insecticides would be used
2. Operating costs would increase
3. Crops yields would decline
4. Insect challenges and resistance would occur
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