Save pollinators by ditching bee-killing pesticides

01 Apr

Save pollinators by ditching bee-killing pesticides

By Environmental Action Comments Off on Save pollinators by ditching bee-killing pesticides

Now that spring is here, it’s a great time to garden — but there are some things you should keep in mind to make your garden pollinator-friendly. 

Pesticides are a major cause of bee die-offs and contribute to the decline of other pollinators, like monarch butterflies. While we advocate for a ban on the worst pesticides, you can also help by taking direct action: Avoid pollinator-killing pesticides in your garden or yard.

Follow these tips to make your garden or yard a friendlier place for bees, monarchs and other pollinators this spring.

  1. Avoid neonicotinoids. When bees are exposed to this class of pesticides, it results in impaired movement, memory issues or death. Some states have placed a consumer ban on neonicotinoids, but there are still about neonicotinoid-based pesticides on the market federally — so make sure to avoid these bee-killing chemicals.1
  1. Avoid glyphosate. Glyphosate is the main ingredient in the world’s most popular weedkiller, Roundup. Research shows that glyphosate kills the milkweed that monarch butterflies need to survive.2 Glyphosate-based pesticides can also cause honeybees to become vulnerable to disease, according to one study.3
  1. Use natural pesticides. Try to avoid toxic synthetic pesticides in your garden altogether. There are organic pesticides options on the market that will keep your garden and yard healthy. Other tactics like sticky traps, floating row covers and pheromone traps can deter unwanted insects.4

In order to save crucial pollinators like bees and monarch butterflies, we have to re-think the way that we use pesticides. This spring, you can become a part of the movement to save pollinators by ditching pollinator-killing pesticides in your garden and yard. 

 

  1. Aria Bendix, “The US just banned 12 pesticides that are like nicotine for bees. Here’s how dangerous they are,” Business Insider, May 30, 2019.
  2. Warren Cornwall, “The Missing Monarchs,” Slate, January 29, 2014. 
  3. Damian Carrington, “Monsanto’s global weedkiller harms honeybees, research finds,” The Guardian, September 24, 2018.
  4. “The 7 Best Organic Pest Control Techniques For Your Garden,” Good Housekeeping, December 18, 2017.