15
Oct
Study Finds Wildflowers Contain More Neonics than Treated Fields
(Beyond Pesticides, October 15, 2015) A new study, published in Environmental Science & Technology, has found that wildflowers bordering fields that are treated with neonicotinoids contain a higher concentration of the bee-toxic pesticides than the actual treated fields, pointing out an often overlooked avenue of exposure for bees. Widely-used neonicotinoids, which as systemic chemicals move through a plant’s vascular system and express poison through pollen, nectar, and guttation droplets, have been identified in multiple  peer-reviewed studies  and by beekeepers  as the major contributing factor in bee decline.
The study, titled Neonicotinoid Residues in Wildflowers, A Potential Route of Chronic Exposure for Bees, discovered neonicotinoid insecticides in wildflowers, including Hogweed and Poppy pollen (up to 86ppb and 64ppb, respectively). The study’s authors  found higher concentrations of neonicotinoids in wild flowers in field margins than in Oilseed rape flowers in the adjacent neonicotinoid treated crop — on average 15ppb vs. 3ppb.  They also found that more than 97% of the neonicotinoids being brought into the hive by honey bees are from wildflowers, while only 3% are  from the crop.
Researchers have found  that chronic exposure to neonicotinoids increases neuronal vulnerability to mitochondrial dysfunction in the bumblebee. In other words, these pesticides damage the brain cells of bees. Exposed bees will have greater difficulty, for instance, in recognizing the smell of a flower, or how to find their way back to their colony. In June 2015,  researchers demonstrated  that honey bees exposed to  imidacloprid, a toxic neonic, are more susceptible to heat shock. Researchers have also found that bees can become  addicted to neonicotinoids  in the same way that humans can become addicted to cigarettes. More research can be found on Beyond Pesticides’  What the Science Shows  page, where studies are listed to highlight the impact of pesticides on these organisms.
Unfortunately, there is evidence that the toxic chemicals affect  other pollinators and beneficial insects as well.  Earlier this year, researchers from the University of Minnesota presented some of the first evidence linking these bee-killing insecticides to monarch butterfly deaths. The study found that milkweed plants, which monarch butterflies need to survive, may also retain neonicotinoids from nearby plants, making milkweed toxic to monarchs. Environmentalists, beekeepers and activists are increasingly frustrated with the use of these toxic chemicals, as it has been found that neonicotinoid-treated seeds do not reduce crop damage from pests, and that the use of neonicotinoid seed treatments, which are intended to decrease the use of pesticides, can actually increase the necessity of these toxic chemicals by killing off natural, beneficial insect predators.
The implications of the study findings only strengthen the need for meaningful policy change on the federal level.  Saving America’s Pollinators Act  requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to suspend the registration of all neonicotinoid insecticides that are registered for use in seed treatment, soil application, or foliar treatment on bee attractive plants, trees and cereals until EPA has fully determined that these toxic chemicals do not cause unreasonable adverse effects on pollinators. You can help to protect America’s pollinators by  submitting a letter  to your representative, urging them to support  Saving America’s Pollinators Act. Let’s  BEE Protective  and support a shift away from the use of these toxic chemicals by encouraging organic methods  and  sustainable land management practices  in your home, campus, or community.
Neonicotinoids are undoubtedly highly toxic to honey bees, and EPA acknowledges this fact. However, little is being done at the federal level to protect bees and other pollinators from these pesticides. With unlimited resources behind them, the chemical industry —the pesticide manufacturers, landscaping, horticultural and agricultural trade groups, have all come out to deflect attention away from pesticides as a major culprit in pollinator decline. To learn more about how industry agents try to manipulate the message to say that neonics are not the main cause, see Beyond Pesticides’  report addressing  industry myths on pollinator decline.
In light of the  shortcomings of federal action  to protect these beneficial creatures, it is left up to us to ensure that we provide safe havens for pollinators by creating pesticide-free habitat and educating others to do the same. Beyond Pesticides has created a small pesticide-free garden at our offices in DC to provide habitat and forage for our local pollinators. You too can pledge your green space as pesticide-free and pollinator-friendly. It does not matter how large or small your pledge is, as long as you contribute to the creation of safe pollinator habitat.  Sign the pledge today. Need ideas on creating the perfect pollinator habitat? The  Bee Protective Habitat Guide  can tell you which native plants are right for your region.
All unattributed positions and opinions in this piece are those of Beyond Pesticides.
Source: Environmental Science & Technology, Buglife
This is horrible. No good can come of this. Ban and Boycott neonicotinoids, bee-toxic pesticides!
and i bet you don’t have many replies because with today’s teaching method for math, no one knows the answer to the “not a robot” question.
October 15th, 2015 at 10:43 amThis is obviously disateroid for pollinators, but I strongly suspect that neonics are also affecting humans that are consuming the crops that they are used on. Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s etc. how is it that the pesticide/chemical companies are able to sell the story that our only choice is for the worlds growing population is to either starve to death or be slowly poisoned to death.
October 18th, 2015 at 7:23 amI have a sort of sensitive question. I try very hard to be biologically consious in my garden. I do not use chemicals for controlling things that grow, but prefer plant manures and preparations like equisetum etc. However on the property we bought last October there is a great deal of Japanese knotweed. We dug out masses of this root and all from one part of the garden, a trailer full of the stuff and disposed of it properly. Now though we can see where it is starting to grow again. A neighbour is licensed by the government here to use pesticides and he will do that when the knotweed is higher. I can agree with this and it is ne of the plants exempted from the prohibition of using glycophosphate. BUT where this stuff is growing there is a hazelnut tree bank with about 7 trees that I want to coppice next year, can anyone tell me if the glycophosphate on the Japanese knotweed will make all plants in the soil and the soil itself in their direct area poisoned for soil dwelling creatures and those insects foraging on nearby plants. I am a bio-dynamic beekeeper so this goes very much against the grain but I do need to rid my meadow of this plant so that it can become a pollinator haven meadow which is my goal. I hope for understanding with this request and not anger. Thank you for reading. Kind regards, Mif.
April 11th, 2016 at 1:45 pm