Archive for the 'Insecticides' Category
29
Jan
(Beyond Pesticides, January 29, 2026) A study of ecotoxicity risk from neonicotinoid insecticides, published in Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, finds that chemicals in this class of pesticides, particularly dinotefuron, increase the body temperature of Apis mellifera (European honey bee) and subsequently accelerate the translocation (movement) of contaminants into hives by the honey bees. The research indicates that neonicotinoids affect acetylcholine receptors in the nervous system, leading to an “elevation in octopamine titer [neurotransmitter/hormone] and subsequent increase in the body temperature of honeybees,” the authors report. They continue: “Furthermore, we observed a considerable upregulation [of] the expression of a flight gene flightin in honeybees. This gene accelerates the homing behavior of honeybees and facilitates the rapid and frequent transport of neonicotinoid pesticide-contaminated nectar to the hive.” In describing their results, the researchers state: “For the first time, we propose that neonicotinoid pesticides accelerate the homing ability of honeybees by affecting their body temperature, which leads to more neonicotinoid pesticides entering the hive and explains the prevalence of neonicotinoids and at higher concentrations in terms of their effects on the honeybee body temperature that enhances homing.” This accelerated movement of neonicotinoid pesticides into honey bee hives heightens the toxicity risks to honey […]
Posted in Agriculture, Beneficials, Biodiversity, contamination, dinotefuron, Insecticides, neonicotinoids, Nervous System Effects, Pollinators, Pyriproxyfen, Thiamethoxam, Wildlife/Endangered Sp. | No Comments »
27
Jan
(Beyond Pesticides, January 27, 2026) A three-part study published in Molecular Neurodegeneration draws a connection between Parkinson’s disease (PD) and the organophosphate chlorpyrifos. “Since chlorpyrifos (CPF) exposure has been implicated as a risk factor for PD, we investigated its association to incident PD and if this association is biologically plausible using human, rodent, and zebrafish (ZF) studies,” the researchers state. Together, the three experiments “strongly implicate exposure to CPF as a risk factor for developing PD,” as the authors find that exposure, even at very low concentrations, causes selective toxicity to dopaminergic neurons that are critical for functions of movement, cognition, emotion, and more. The results reveal that in humans, long-term residential exposure is associated with more than a 2.5-fold increased risk of developing PD, while exposure in mice causes “motor impairment, dopaminergic neuron loss, microglial activation, and an increase in pathological α-synuclein (α-syn) [proteins primarily found in the brain].” The researchers continue, “Using ZF, we found that CPF-induced dopaminergic neuron loss was at least partially due to autophagy dysfunction and synuclein accumulation, as knocking down LC3 [a protein chain] recapitulated the dopaminergic neuron loss.” These three studies highlight the association of CPF with increased risks for developing PD, as […]
Posted in Agriculture, Aquatic Organisms, behavioral and cognitive effects, Brain Effects, California, Chlorpyrifos, fish, Insecticides, organophosphate, Parkinson's | No Comments »
22
Jan
(Beyond Pesticides, January 22, 2026) Published in Environmental Research, a review of experimental studies by George Mason University researchers regarding reproductive toxicity of neonicotinoid pesticides (neonics) in rodents finds that all studies “demonstrated negative impacts on male reproductive endpoints in association with neonic exposure, including reduced sperm count, reduced sperm motility, and altered sperm morphology.” These studies highlight how neonics, designed to target insect nervous systems, can affect mammalian systems, representing risks to human health. Criteria for inclusion in the review was restricted to endocrine and/or reproductive outcomes in male rats and mice, leading the authors to analyze 21 studies published between 2005 and 2025. “This narrative review employed a systematic approach and determined that neonics exhibit reproductive toxicity in male rats and mice, particularly impairing testicular function and sperm quality at high exposure levels,” the researchers report. They continue, “Despite species-specific differences, the conserved nature [core mechanism] of reproductive processes across mammals supports the relevance of these findings to human health.” Study Background Neonicotinoids are a class of insecticides that share a common mode of action that affects the central nervous system of insects, resulting in paralysis and death. There is a wide body of science on the effects […]
Posted in acetamiprid, Agriculture, Clothianidin, contamination, Imidacloprid, Infertility, Insecticides, men's health, neonicotinoids, Oxidative Stress, Pesticide Residues, Reproductive Health, thiacloprid | No Comments »
02
Jan
(Beyond Pesticides, January 2, 2026) Texas-based pecan orchard Swift River Pecans is collaborating with local conservation nonprofit Merlin Tuttle’s Bat Conservation “so they could collect more information on the species that visit his 266-acre property, and to show off the bats’ value to his operation,” according to recent coverage by NPR affiliate KCUR. “Bats love to munch on insects like stink bugs and moths. Some farmers are now relying on the mammals for pest control – and ditching chemicals,” says Michael Marks, reporter for NPR (Harvest Public Media) and Texas Standard. The orchard operator and nonprofit have been collaborating since 2004, after Troy Swift (orchard owner) employed a chemical-intensive approach since purchasing the land in 1988. Merlin Tuttle, “an ecologist and conservationist who has spent 65 years studying bats around the globe,” has been setting up bat boxes using cypress trees from a lumber mill on-site—the researcher has opted for this wood type because it is porous and regulates temperature appropriately. “Our job is to work with Mother Nature instead of against her to make the best pecans money can buy. That’s the way we see it,” says Mr. Swift, who also serves as the president of the Texas Pecan […]
Posted in Alternatives/Organics, Bats, Biodiversity, Climate, Ecosystem Services, Fungicides, Herbicides, Insecticides, Pesticide Drift, Pesticide Mixtures, Uncategorized | No Comments »
19
Dec
(Beyond Pesticides, December 19, 2025) While still the exception rather than the norm, a growing movement of Christmas tree farmers across the United States is demonstrating that organically managed systems can also be applied when choosing a tree during this holiday season. Health and environmental advocates across the country are calling for a transition away from toxic pesticide dependency during the holiday season. Beyond Pesticides maintains a webpage, Christmas Trees and Pesticides, and Center for Biological Diversity and Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments urged the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to conduct a “special review of pesticides used on Christmas trees.” The groups sent a letter on December 4, the day the National Christmas Tree was lit at the White House, specifically citing the need to review the pesticides chlorpyrifos, carbaryl, dimethoate, bifenthrin, chlorothalonil, glyphosate, hexazinone, imidacloprid, simazine, and 2,4-D, among others. Christmas is one of the most celebrated holidays in the United States, with Christmas trees grown on Christmas tree farms being brought into homes as part of the celebration. On average, Americans purchase 25 to 30 million Christmas trees annually, according to the National Christmas Tree Association; however, certified organic […]
Posted in 2,4-D, Abamectin, Azadirachtin, Bifenthrin, Carbaryl, Chemical Mixtures, Chemicals, Chlorothalonil, Chlorpyrifos, clopyralid, Department of Health and Human Services, Diflubenzuron, Dimethoate, dinotefuron, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), esfenvalerate, flupyradifurone, Fungicides, Glyphosate, Herbicides, hexazinone, Holidays, Imidacloprid, Insecticides, Integrated and Organic Pest Management, lambda-cyhalothrin, Malathion, mancozeb, Oryzalin, oxyfluorfen, Pendimethalin, Permethrin, pymetrozine, simazine, spinosad, spirodiclofen, Sulfometuron methyl, tebufenozide, Thiamethoxam, Triclopyr, Uncategorized | No Comments »
18
Dec
(Beyond Pesticides, December 18, 2025) A study in the International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health finds peak concentrations of organophosphate pesticide (OP) metabolites in the urine of pregnant mothers 6-12 hours after consuming contaminated fruits and vegetables. “High detection rates were observed for dimethylthiophosphate (DMTP, 96%), dimethylphosphate (DMP, 94%), diethylphosphate (DEP, 89%), and diethylthiophosphate (DETP, 77%) among 431 urine samples taken from 25 pregnant women, over two 24-hr periods, early in pregnancy,” the researchers report. The levels of metabolites within the urine correlate to the consumption of foods treated with organophosphate pesticides, highlighting the importance of adopting an organic diet—particularly for pregnant individuals and their children. “In 2009–2010, 80 pregnant women were recruited from Ottawa, Canada for the Plastics and Personal-care Product use in Pregnancy (P4) Study,” the authors say. “A subset (n = 25) collected multiple spot urines (up to 10 each; total n = 431) over two 24-h periods in early pregnancy—one weekday and weekend day—while logging their food consumption beginning 24 h prior to the first urine void and continuing through the following 24-h urine collection period.” This is the first study looking at the variability of organophosphate metabolites within 24 hours in maternal urine, giving […]
Posted in Agriculture, Alternatives/Organics, Biomonitoring, Canada, Chlorpyrifos, Diazinon, Dimethoate, Insecticides, Malathion, Metabolites, Nervous System Effects, organophosphate, Parathion, Women's Health | No Comments »
05
Dec
(Beyond Pesticides, December 5, 2025) A study published this month in Environmental Pollution analyzes the role of neonicotinoid insecticide exposure on bird populations, finding a significant negative effect of imidacloprid use on insectivorous bird abundance. In comparing the effects of the insecticide imidacloprid on bird abundance in France before and after the 2018 ban, the researchers show a weak recovery of bird populations after 2018. The persistent nature of imidacloprid, however, as well as the continued use of other petrochemical pesticides that have adverse effects on bird species, continues to impact populations of all types of birds and other wildlife, leading to cascading impacts on biodiversity.   “Our study shows that imidacloprid is a major covariate of the abundance of birds, in addition to other pesticides that are also negatively related to bird populations, and that these effects are not uniform across species,” the authors report. They continue in saying that the relationship between neonicotinoids and bird abundance varied across bird diets, as “the abundance of insectivorous birds was consistently lower under increasing pesticide use, in particular imidacloprid.” Background As shared in the study and on Beyond Pesticides’ Birds page, bird species can be exposed to pesticides directly through ingestion […]
Posted in Agriculture, Beneficials, Biodiversity, Birds, contamination, France, Imidacloprid, Insecticides, neonicotinoids, Pesticide Regulation, Seeds, Wildlife/Endangered Sp. | No Comments »
20
Nov
(Beyond Pesticides, November 20, 2025) Recent scientific literature finds heightened toxicity associated with pesticide metabolites, the transformation/breakdown products of the parent compounds, that threaten the health of the soil, wildlife, and humans. This research stresses the importance of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) evaluating metabolites, which is currently insufficiently included in regulatory processes. In a literature review in Global Change Biology, the researchers point out multiple areas in which regulations fail to address key criteria, including metabolites, saying: “Pesticide risk assessments currently rely on surrogate species and focus primarily on acute lethality metrics, failing to capture the broader impacts on non-target organisms and thus biodiversity. Under the directives of regulatory agencies worldwide, this traditional approach overlooks the complex interactions between multiple stressors, including climate change, land-use shifts, and pesticide transformation products. Pesticide risk assessments must therefore undergo a paradigm shift to account for these complex interactions, which disproportionately affect insect pollinators, other non-target species, and biodiversity at large.” A metabolite is a breakdown product that forms when a pesticide is used in the environment and mixes with air, water, soil, or living organisms. All metabolites fall under the category of transformation products, which is the broader term for any […]
Posted in Agriculture, Biodiversity, Breakdown Chemicals, Chlorothalonil, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Imidacloprid, Insecticides, Metabolites, neonicotinoids, organophosphate, Pollinators, Seeds | No Comments »
14
Nov
(Beyond Pesticides, November 14, 2025) A literature review in Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety finds a sex-specific relationship between pesticide exposure and thyroid cancer, with heightened risks for women. “Thyroid cancer (TC) is one of the most common endocrine malignancies worldwide, yet the association between pesticide exposure and TC has not been systematically summarized,” the authors state. “This study aimed to elucidate the relationship between pesticide exposure and TC, focusing on insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides.” In the U.S., approximately 44,020 new cases and 2,290 deaths are estimated for 2025, according to the American Cancer Society, with thyroid cancer as the ninth most common cancer in women. (See research here.) TC ranks globally as the tenth most common cancer, representing a worldwide threat to both men and women. (See here.) The current study considers scientific literature on thyroid cancer and pesticide exposure by pesticide type to extract data and statistically analyze the link between exposure and risk of TC. The results indicate a positive association between exposure to insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides and thyroid cancer, with the sex-based analysis revealing the risk of TC is higher in females. Study Background and Importance As the researchers write, thyroid cancer “is one of the […]
Posted in Biomonitoring, Cancer, Endocrine Disruption, Endosulfan, Fungicides, Herbicides, Insecticides, Malathion, Oxidative Stress, Thyroid Disease, Women's Health | No Comments »
