Neonicotinoids in Your Garden
Neonicotinoids are a group of insecticides that are used widely on farms, as well as around our homes, schools, and city landscapes. Used to protect against sap-sucking and leaf-chewing insects, neonicotinoids are systemic, which means they are absorbed by the plant tissues and expressed in all parts, including nectar and pollen. Unfortunately, bees, butterflies, and other flower-visiting insects are harmed by the residues. Extremely concerning is the prolific inclusion of these insecticides in home garden products. Home garden products containing neonicotinoids can legally be applied in far greater concentrations in gardens than they can be on farms – sometimes at concentrations as much as 120 times as great which increases the risk to pollinators. As a gardener, you have an unique opportunity to help protect pollinators by avoiding the use of these insecticides, asking your local nursery or garden center if plants have been treated with neonicotinoids, and encouraging your city or park district to use alternatives to neonicotinoids on plants that are visited by bees or are bee-pollinated.
Protecting Bees from Neonicotinoid Insecticides in Your Garden
This brochure explains why they are a risk to bees and gives some simple tips for protecting bees from these insecticides.
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Neonicotinoids in Your Garden
By Jennifer Hopwood and Matthew Shepherd
This article from Xerces’ magazine, Wings, explores the effects of neonicotinoid pesticides in gardens.
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Examples of Neonicotinoid Garden Products Used in the United States
| Neonicotinoid | Garden & ornamental uses | Garden product trademark names |
|---|---|---|
| Imidacloprid | Foliar spray for turf and ornamental flowers, trees, and shrubs; soil drench for garden fruits and vegetables, and ornamental flowers, trees, and shrubs; trunk injection for trees; granules for turf and ornamental flowers, shrubs, or trees. | 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 Out |
| Clothianidin | Granules for turf, and ornamental flowers, shrubs, or trees. | Bayer Advanced All-in-One Rose & Flower Care granules
Green Light Grub Control with Arena |
| Thiamethoxam | Foliar spray for turf and ornamental flowers, trees, and shrubs; granules for turf and ornmanetal flowers, trees, and shrubs. | Amdro Quick Kill Lawn & Landscape Insect Killer
Amdro Rose & Flower Care Maxide Dual Action Insect Killer |
| Acetamiprid | Foliar spray for garden fruits and vegetables, and ornamental flowers, trees, and shrubs. | 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 Killer |
| Dinotefuran | Granules for turf and ornamental flowers, shrubs or trees; soil drench for ornamental flowers, trees, and shrubs. | Green Light Tree & Shrub Insect Control with Safari 2 G
Safari Ortho Tree & Shrub Insect Control Plus Miracle Gro Plant Food |
