Overige insecten

Imidacloprid is widely used as home garden insecticide to control many of the common pests associated with flowers

Home gardeners are confronted with many potential insect problems. The types of problems will depend on their location, the health of their plants, and the types of plants they grow. Depending on the type of plant, problems can range from rare to frequent. Imidacloprid is widely used on ornamental plants to control many of the common pests associated with flowers (ants, aphids, cutworms, grasshoppers, leaf beetles, leafhoppers, mealybugs, pillbugs or sowbugs, plant bugs, rose slugs, thrips and whiteflies).

Imidacloprid can provide season-long control of lace bugs

Many kinds of lace bugs, family Tingidae, feed on landscape plants throughout the United States. Hosts include alder, ash, avocado, azalea, coyote bush, birch, ceanothus, fruit trees, photinia, poplar, sycamore, toyon, walnut, and willow. Several dozen species of lace bugs occur in the western United States, mostly on trees and woody shrubs. California Christmas berry tingid (Corythucha incurvata), ceanothus tingid (Corythucha obliqua), Western sycamore lace bug (Corythucha confraterna), and the recently introduced avocado lace bug (Pseudacysta perseae) are some of the species that can be pests. Almost any insecticide will control lace bugs if it is sprayed directly onto the insects. Insecticides that are absorbed and move within plants can provide longer-lasting control than contact sprays. Imidacloprid is available to both homeowners and professional applicators. In situations where IPM-compatible insecticides are inadequate, imidacloprid is usually the preferred choice. It may provide season-long control if applied in spring before populations dramatically increase. Imidacloprid can be applied as a foliar spray or soil drench. It can be injected directly into trunks if their diameter is relatively large.

Recent outbreaks of American Foulbrood disease in hives in Hawkes Bay and Northland are a timely pointer to the precarious life of bees in New Zealand and to the factors impinging upon its health

New Zealand agriculture and horticulture is dependent solely upon bees to carry out pollination. We have no other insects capable of doing the job. Yet these vital workers are under extraordinary threat, not only from insecticides but also from disease, habitat loss and the varroa mite. Currently, this mite poses the most immediate danger. Since its arrival in 2000 it has exterminated feral bees whose role in pollinating clover was taken for granted by farmers. Clover is an important source of natural nitrogen, the prime fertiliser of pasture. We can’t afford, therefore, to compromise the health of bees that are managed in hives or we risk losing everything – the export basis of our economy, along with the security of the food which keeps us alive. But by using insecticides whose active ingredient is a systemic neonicotinoid chemical, it’s likely we are. The National Beekeepers Association points out that all the conditions which are implicated in bee die-off overseas exist here, namely: the threat of increased pests and diseases, the long term effects of the varroa mite, the sub-lethal and synergistic effects of agricultural chemicals and the loss of habitat.

Imidacloprid, Found in Most Homeowner Insecticides, is Translocated to Nectar and Pollen and Kills Good Bugs

There are multiple ways that plants in urban landscapes can contain imidacloprid-contaminated nectar, since it is commonly applied in the landscape for many pests and many greenhouse plants are treated with prior to sale and transplanting. Imidacloprid may persist in nectar for a long time, since soil applications were effective against foliar pests for 1 to 2 years in containers and landscape trees. Injections of concentrated volumes of imidacloprid applied to trees trunks and roots were effective for 12 months for ash and linden. A soil application of imidacloprid to Eucalyptus tree resulted in 500 ppb in nectar and pollen, which will kill any insect feeding on nectar and pollen. Tree injections of imidacloprid at flowering are cause for concern, since linden flowers are a good source of nectar and pollen for bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects.

Alarmierender Rückgang von Fauna und Flora in Europa

Eine Untersuchung eines erheblichen Teils der in Europa heimischen Fauna und Flora im Rahmen der Europäischen Rote Liste, die Teil der Roten Liste gefährdeter Arten der Weltnaturschutzunion (IUCN)™ ist, hat ergeben, dass ein großer Anteil Weichtiere, Süßwasserfische und Gefäßpflanzen jetzt als gefährdet einzustufen ist. Die Untersuchung von etwa 6000 Arten zeigt, dass 44 % aller Süßwasserweichtiere, 37 % der Süßwasserfische, 23 % der Amphibien, 20 % einer Auswahl von terrestrischen Weichtieren, 19 % der Reptilien, 15 % der Säugetiere und Libellen, 13 % der Vögel, 11 % einer Auswahl von xylobionten Käfern, 9 % der Schmetterlinge und 467 Arten von Gefäßpflanzen vom Aussterben bedroht sind.

Compatibility of Two Systemic Neonicotinoids with Various Natural Enemies of Agricultural Pests

Two systemic neonicotinoids, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam, are widely used for residual control of several insect pests in cotton (Gossypium spp.), vegetables, and citrus (Citrus spp.). We evaluated their impact on six species of beneficial arthropods, including four parasitoid species—Aphytis melinus Debach, Gonatocerus ashmeadi Girault, Eretmocerus eremicus Rose & Zolnerowich, and Encarsia formosa Gahan—and two generalist predators—Geocoris punctipes (Say) and Orius insidiosus (Say)—in the laboratory by using a systemic uptake bioassay. Exposure to systemically treated leaves of both neonicotinoids had negative effects on adult survival in all four parasitoids, with higher potency against A. melinus as indicated by a low LC50. Mortality was also high for G. ashmeadi, E. eremicus, and E. formosa after exposure to both compounds but only after 48 h posttreatment. The two predators G. punctipes and O. insidiosus were variably susceptible to imidacloprid and thiamethoxam after 96-h exposure. However, toxicity to these predators may be related to their feeding on foliage and not just contact with surface residues. Our laboratory results contradict suggestions of little impact of these systemic neonicotinoids on parasitoids or predators.

In Obstgärten finden unzählige Tiergruppen ihren Lebensraum

In Obstgärten finden unzählige Tiergruppen ihren Lebensraum: Vögel, Fledermäuse, Schläfer, Igel, Spinnen, Schmetterlinge, Schwebfliegen, Käfer und weitere Insektengruppen. Über 1000 Arten von Insekten, Spinnentieren und Tausendfüssler wurden in Obstgärten festgestellt. Besonders wichtig sind Obstgärten für Vögel: Rund 40 Brutvogelarten leben in der Schweiz im Lebensraum Obstgarten. Dies entspricht einem Fünftel der einheimischen Brutvögel.

Our gardens become feeding stations for bees, butterflies, bats, hedgehogs, birds and other wildlife provided you don't use pesticides

We grow flowers in our gardens for our own enjoyment. But colour and perfume are really the plants’ way of advertising themselves to insects. Sweet nectar and protein-rich pollen are bait to encourage insects to visit. In return, pollen is carried from one flower to another on their bodies so the flowers are fertilised. Bees are among the most beneficial insects for a garden. The best way to attract them to your garden is to provide them with some of their favourite plants such as lavender, foxgloves, rosemary, sunflowers and bluebells. Flowers with long narrow petal tubes, such as evening primrose and honeysuckle, are visited by moths and butterflies. Only their long tongues can reach deep down to the hidden nectar. Short-tongued insects include many families of flies and some moths. They can only reach nectar in flowers with short florets. Hoverflies, wasps, ladybirds, lacewings, ground beetles and centipedes are the gardener’s friends and will help control garden pests such as aphids and caterpillars. Insects such as spiders, mites, millipedes, sow bugs, ants, springtails and beetles inhabit the soil food web in the uppermost 2 to 8 inches of soil. They participate in decomposing plant and animal residue, cycling nutrients, creating soil structure and controlling the populations of other soil organisms, including harmful crop pests. Decaying organic matter in soil is the source of energy and nutrients for garden vegetables and ornamental plants. By growing flowers attractive to a range of insects, our gardens can also become important feeding stations for bats, hedgehogs, birds and other wildlife. The most important factor when encouraging wildlife into your garden is not to use insecticides.

Fachbuch »Das Ende der Artenvielfalt – Neuartige Pestizide töten Insekten und Vögel« von Henk Tennekes

2010 veröffentlichte der holländische Toxikologe Henk Tennekes ein international beachtetes Fachbuch mit dem Titel »Disaster in the Making«. Er beschreibt das extreme Artensterben bei Insekten und Vögeln der Agrarlandschaft – in England genauso wie in Holland oder Deutschland. Rebhühner, Kiebitze, Haubenlerchen und Braunkehlchen und selbst die früher so häufige Feldlerche werden immer seltener. Tennekes belegt das Artensterben mit vielen wissenschaftlichen Publikationen, die er in seinem Buch vorstellt. Die Ursache sieht der Toxikologe in einer Gruppe neuer Pestizide, der Neonikotinoide. Diese fordert er sofort zu verbieten. Noch vor Weihnachten 2011 kam die limitierte deutsche Ausgabe mit dem Titel »Das Ende der Artenvielfalt – Neuartige Pestizide töten Insekten und Vögel« auf den Markt.