Each month our Bee Informed Blog highlights current news, science, and research related to solitary bee conservation, food insecurity, and sustainability.
1. Common pesticide, Imidacloprid, found to be highly toxic to bees
New research funded by the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program and conducted at the University of Georgia shows that Imidacloprid, a common pesticide applied directly to the soil, has lethal and non-lethal effects on bee populations. This study represents the first attempt to explore soil-based exposure in wild solitary bees. The majority of wild bees either nest in the soil or use it as a material to build their nests. As solitary bees become more prevalent in managed pollinator systems, the potential for accidental exposure becomes larger.
Imidacloprid is manufactured by Bayer Crop Science (part of Bayer AG) and sold under the trade names Kohinor, Admire, Advantage, Gaucho, Merit, Confidor, Hachikusan, Premise, Prothor, and Winner. It's marketed as pest control, seed treatment, insecticide spray, termite control, flea control, and systemic insecticide. To keep safe, avoid using products with Imidacloprid.
Read more about the study in an article written by Ian Bennett, published on the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education website.
