There is a huge fuss about neonicotinoids and the dangers they pose ...to honey bees, but remember that they are not native to North America. Everything in the insect world suffers from these chemicals, especially native pollinators, through ground dwelling cicada nymphs, to even our lovely monarch butterflies both as caterpillars and adults. The simple definition of neonicoinoids is that they are a group of chemicals including imidacloprid, acetamiprid, clothianidin, dinotefuran, nithiazine, thiacloprid and thiamethoxam, that effect the central nervous systems of insects usually causing paralysis and finally death. They are purported to cause less damage in birds and mammals than the previously common organophosphates and carbamates. Where things are getting a little confusing is in the name, as it is long and tricky to pronounce, so many people are shortening it to neonics and in that process, some of the meaning has been lost. If you try and track down neonics, the most often found meaning is "pesticides that are systemic" as some of the application methods include soil drench and seed treatment and they pollute the plant through the root system. Where that is misleading is in the reality where you can buy these chemicals under a number of different brand names for your home garden and as they are applied topically you might not realize that your are injecting those chemicals into the plants and vegetables in your back yard. Here is a rough list of USA brands using neonicotinoids as active ingredients:
Bayer Advanced 3-in-1 Insect, Disease, & Mite Control Bayer Advanced 12 Month Tree & Shrub Insect Control Bayer Advanced 12 Month Tree & Shrub Protect & Feed Bayer Advanced Fruit, Citrus & Vegetable Insect Control Bayer Advanced All-in-One Rose & Flower Care concentrate DIY Tree Care Products Multi-Insect Killer Ferti-lome 2-N-1 Systemic Hi-Yield Systemic Insect Spray Knockout Ready-To-Use Grub Killer Monterey Once a Year Insect Control II Ortho Bug B Gon Year-Long Tree & Shrub Insect Control Ortho MAX Tree & Shrub Insect Control Surrender Brand GrubZ Bayer Advanced All-in-One Rose & Flower Care granules Green Light Grub Control with Arena Amdro Quick Kill Lawn & Landscape Insect Killer Amdro Rose & Flower Care Maxide Dual Action Insect Killer Ortho Bug B Gon Garden Insect Killer Ortho Bug B Gon for Lawns Ortho Flower, Fruit and Vegetable Insect Killer Ortho Rose and Flower Insect Killer Ortho Rose Pride Insect Green Light Tree & Shrub Insect Control with Safari 2 G Safari Ortho Tree & Shrub Insect Control Plus Miracle Gro Plant Food
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