General

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.

Imidacloprid Protects Trees & Shrubs from Borer Damage in the United States

Nearly all shade trees and many shrubs are subject to borer attack, the tunneling of immature beetle or moth larvae through the cambium, sapwood or heartwood of the host plant. The emerald ash borer is now one of the most destructive non-native insects in the United States. The potential damage of this insect rivals that of Chestnut blight and Dutch Elm Disease. Since its accidental introduction into the United States and Canada in the 1990s, and its subsequent detection in 2002, it has spread to 14 states and adjacent parts of Canada. It has killed at least 50 to 100 million ash trees so far and threatens to kill most of the 7.5 billion ash trees throughout North America. Traditionally, borers have been treated with a trunk spray application of insecticide that kills the newly hatched insects before they tunnel into the plant. However, imidacloprid, a systemic insecticide that is applied as a soil drench around the base of target plants, is making borer control easier and targeting the small larva as they chew their way into the plant. It has a twelve-month residual effect. The chemical is absorbed by the plant's root system and moved throughout it's trunk, branches and foliage.

Soil injections of imidacloprid are frequently used to control insect pests on trees

Soil injections of imidacloprid are effective at preventing attack by the walnut twig beetle, a very aggressive beetle that will attack both healthy and stressed trees. Imidacloprid can also be injected directly into the trunk or soil so there is no public contact. Soil injections of imidacloprid are also very effective against Elm leaf beetles, a cyclic pest, European elm scale, one of the most widespread and destructive scale insects, Hawthorn mealybug and Kermes scale, which affects pin oak and red oak trees.

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.

Neonikotinoide werden für das Bienen- und das Vogelsterben in der Agrarlandschaft verantwortlich gemacht

Viele Ackerkulturen werden heute von der Aussaat bis zur Ernte mit Pestiziden behandelt. Pestizide beeinträchtigen ganz erheblich die biologische Vielfalt. Neben bestimmten – für den Anbau schädlichen – Pflanzen und Insekten eliminieren viele Pestizide auch alle übrigen Wildkräuter und Insekten – und fehlen höheren Tieren dann als Nahrung. Etliche Arten der Feldvögel haben daher in den letzten Jahren radikal abgenommen. So wird die Stoffgruppe der Neonikotinoide für das Bienen- und das Vogelsterben in der Agrarlandschaft verantwortlich gemacht.

Declines in forage availability for bumblebees in Britain

We quantified the relative value of native and long-established plant species as forage (nectar and pollen) resources for bumblebees by collating visitation data from 14 field sites across Britain. Twentieth Century changes in range and frequency of these forage plants were assessed using data from the New Atlas of the British and Irish Flora (1930–1969 to 1987–1999) and the Countryside Surveys of Britain (1978–1998). Forage plants declined in both large-scale range and local-scale frequency between the two survey periods. These changes were of greater magnitude than changes in other native plant species, reflecting serious reductions in quality of foraging habitats for bees as well as a general decline in insect-pollinated plants. Seventy-six percent of forage plants declined in frequency within 1-km squares, including those (e.g. Trifolium pratense) of particular value for threatened bumblebee species.

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.

California Department of Pesticide Regulation Reevaluates Nitroguanidine Insecticide Class of Neonicotinoids

California regulations require the Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) to investigate reports of possible adverse effects to people or the environment resulting from the use of pesticides. If a significant adverse impact occurred or is likely to occur, the regulations require DPR to reevaluate the registration of the pesticide. In February of 2009, DPR placed certain pesticide products within the nitroguanidine insecticide class of neonicotinoids containing the active ingredients imidacloprid, clothianidin, dinotefuran, and thiamethoxam into reevaluation. This reevaluation is based on an adverse effects disclosure regarding the active ingredient imidacloprid. The disclosure included twelve ornamental plant residue studies and two combination residue, honey, and bumble bee studies of imidacloprid use on a number of ornamental plants. DPR’s evaluation of the data noted two critical findings: (1) high levels of imidacloprid in leaves and in blossoms of treated plants, and (2) increases in residue levels over time. Data indicate that use of imidacloprid on an annual basis may be additive, in that significant residues from the previous use season appear to be available to the treated plant.

In Niedersachsen steht ein Drittel der etwa 300 Ackerwildkräuter auf der Roten Liste der gefährdeten Pflanzenarten

Mit den Ackerbaukulturen vor rund 5000 Jahren wurde in unseren Breitengraden ein Lebensraum für Ackerwildkräuter und für die von ihnen lebenden Tiere geschaffen. Durch intensive Landwirtschaft, insbesondere durch den Einsatz von Unkrautvernichtungsmitteln, ist die Artenvielfalt unserer Äcker erheblich zurückgegangen. Von den rund 1.200 auf Äckern lebenden Tierarten sind heute 90 Prozent verschwunden oder stark dezimiert. Dies sind beispielsweise Rebhuhn Perdix perdix und Wachtelkönig Crex crex, welche die an den Ackerwildkräutern lebenden Insekten als Nahrung brauchen. Aber auch Feldhamster, der Kleine Perlmutterfalter Issoria lathonia oder verschiedene Laufkäferarten gehören dazu. In Niedersachsen steht ein Drittel der etwa 300 Ackerwildkräuter auf der Roten Liste der gefährdeten Pflanzenarten.