As of 2013[update] neonicotinoidswere used in the U.S. on about 95 percent of corn and canola crops, the majority of cotton, sorghum, and sugar beets and about half of all soybeans. Neonicotinoids 101: The Effects on Humans and Bees. What you need to know about the toxic insecticide that’s decimating populations of pollinators. Neonicotinoids, more lethal than DDT, are systemic pesticides absorbed by all plant parts, with only 5% reaching the crops and 94% contaminating soil and water. Neonicotinoidsare insecticidal substances mainly used in agricultural products.Neonicotinoidsare also used in veterinary medicinal products such as flea treatments for pets, as well as... Neonicotinoids have been found to be harmful to the bee population. Neonicotinoidis the term used for insecticides whose chemical structure is similar to nicotine. Whatareneonicotinoids? Neonics are a class of synthetic, neurotoxic insecticides that are used on agricultural crops, lawns, gardens, golf courses and in flea and tick pet treatments. "Neonicotinoidsare a broad-spectrum pesticide that get their name from their basic chemistry, because it is close to that of nicotine," said Delaplane, emphasizing that "neonics... These neonicotinoid “superpowers” are also the primary “negatives” of the pesticides. The fact that they are so deadly is a problem because they kill most insects without regard to “pest”... Neonicotinoidsare systemic insecticides and are water-soluble. The chemicals are absorbed by plants and transported throughout their vascular systems, infiltrating every plant part. Neonicotinoid insecticides have been shown to have harmful effects on wildlife: from bumblebees and solitary bees, to aquatic invertebrates and even birds.
