Contributed By: Linda Kuna
Neonicotinoids? What the heck is that? Known as “neonics” they are a class of insecticide that has become a favorite with many arborists, landscapers and homeowners. They certainly are effective at killing bugs if that’s what you’re aiming to do. But at what cost?
Neonics are a systemic poison meaning that when treated, the entire plant absorbs the chemical, not just the leaves or the trunk where you’ve injected or sprayed. These chemicalsare far more toxic than DDT! Some describe this transformation as turning a tree or plant into a “poison popsicle” for birds and especially our pollinators. When bees and other beneficial insects (there are lots of good ones!) come around to gather pollen from the flowers or sip the nectar, they absorb the chemicals. It either kills them outright or disrupts their nervous systems so that their navigational ability is impaired and they are unable to find their way back to the nest or hive. When the queen and her drones don’t have those bees bringing the pollen/food back, they starve to death and the colony collapses. There is much current scientific opinion blaming neonicotinoids for the dying off of our bee populations. And that is a serious problem (think global food supply!).
This class of chemicals can affect the bird population too. The birds eat the infected insects and some research suggests that the birds may become sick and not reproduce normally. We know that bird populations are dropping where neonics are used although some of that is because there are so few soft-bodied larvae (killed by the herbicide) that baby birds are starving to death.
Citizens for Conservation in Barrington is trying to get the word out about these extremely dangerous products and will provide you with a list of products to avoid using. I have a copy of their list and would be happy to share it you as well.
The chart is available and printable online at CFC’s Habitat Corridors website www.habitatcorridors.org. (Imidacloprid is the active ingredient in many of these products; also beware of Clothianidin, Thiamethoxam, Acetamiprid and Dinotefuran.)
Many of us here in Tower Lakes take pride in our lawns and gardens and want them to look cared for and beautiful. But before you grab an Ortho or Bayer product check the label and be sure you’re not using anything nasty and damaging to the environment.
Meredith Tucker at Citizens for Conservation likes to say that she loves seeing holes in the leaves in her trees because that means that bugs are chewing on them, laying their eggs, hatching larvae which feeds the birds and so on and so on. So next time you reach for that bottle of something chemical to fix a cosmetic garden problem, think about what harm you might be causing our wildlife.