![]() ![]() An active ingredient is the chemical in a pesticide that controls the target pest. Choose pesticide products that have active ingredients that are the least harmful to bees. Limiting Risk to Pollinators When Using PesticidesĬhoose the least toxic, less persistent pesticide whenever possible to minimize risk to pollinators. For more information, visit the Ohio State University Extension IPM website. Pesticides often need to be combined with other management tactics to control pests effectively. In some situations, pesticides can be an effective and appropriate tool, but under other circumstances pesticides may not be effective. Pesticides can be an important part of an IPM plan, and risks can be minimized by using the product according to the label. If further control is needed, then pesticides may be used together with other methods (Buhler). IPM offers options for pest management with the least amount of risk. For example, IPM can include methods such as removing the food source that attracts the pest, using physical barriers to exclude the pest, and using beneficial organisms that feed on the pest. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an approach to controlling pests that combines tactics based on scientific knowledge of a pest including its biology, behavior, and environmental context. While toxicity of a pesticide is an important consideration, the length of time it persists in the environment, and where and when it is applied are also important factors. The tables at the end of this fact sheet provide a guide to relative toxicity and appropriate precautions for pesticides that are commonly found in retail stores. This fact sheet will mainly focus on insecticides, since certain insecticides tend to be the most toxic type of pesticide to bees since bees are insects. Some herbicides and fungicides have minimal toxicity to bees while others have moderate toxicity-this depends on the product (see tables A and B at the end of the fact sheet). For instance, insecticides are a class of pesticides that control insects, herbicides control weeds, and fungicides control fungal pathogens. ![]() Different pesticide products are designed for different target pests. Following these guidelines will help conserve other beneficial insects as well.Ī pesticide is a substance that is used to control pests by killing, repelling, or protecting against them. This fact sheet is a guide to avoiding injury to pollinators when using pesticides in the garden. Before incorporating pesticides into a pest management strategy, it is important to consider the potential impact on pollinators. In some situations, gardeners may decide to use pesticides to control nuisance pests. Gardeners can encourage pollinators in the home garden by providing habitat that offers a diversity of flowering plants that bloom at various times throughout the year. Scientists attribute this decline in pollinator populations to a complex interaction of many factors, including habitat loss, disease, parasitic mites, and pesticides (EPA, 2015). In recent years, native pollinator and managed honey bee populations have been suffering significant losses. David Shetlar, The Ohio State University. Bees and other pollinators visit crops in backyard gardens, wildflowers, and other flowering plants across ecosystems. In addition to the honey bee, around 3,500 other species of bees live in North America (Bauer, 2013). According to researchers at Cornell, crops that are pollinated by honey bees and other insects were valued at $29 billion in 2010 in the United States (Ramanujan, 2012). Bees and other pollinators help increase yields of apples, peaches, melons, and other crops. Insect pollinators feed on nectar and pollen, and in the process, transfer pollen to other plants. Pollination is a crucial step in the production of many fruits, nuts, and vegetables that people eat. Butterflies, bees, flies, beetles, birds, and bats are examples of common pollinators. Pollinators are animals that transfer pollen among flowers, which leads to the production of fruits and seeds. ![]()
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