Buglife Talk
About Neonicotinoids
In this great interview, Matt Shardlow, chief executive of the UK invertebrates conservation charity, Buglife, talks about the dangers of neonicotinoids for insect pollinators.
Matt Shardlow makes the important point that of course, there are a number of issues affecting bees and pollinators - loss of habitat being of crucial importance.
However, neonicotinoids are used over large areas of land - and not merely agricultural land either! They may also be used on golf courses, in gardens, house plant care, and may be sprayed in public places. In some countries, they could be used in forests.
Regardless of whether there are multiple reasons for general invertebrate decline, this should not prevent us from ensuring our pesticide regulatory system is asking the right questions, and that it is robust enough to specifically test for the impact of pesticides in the environment.
Is it a good
idea to allow pesticides onto the market, without adequate testing? Of
course not! You can read more about this in these articles: (clicking
on the links opens a new window)
Bee Poisonings
Honey Bee Pesticide Poisoning Incidents
Tom Theobald Comment On The EPA Response To The Clothianidin Scandal
There are a number of interviews on the podcast below, but to listen to
the Buglife interview between Matt Shardlow and Adam Jacobs, scroll
forward to 50:16.
(Update 2017: unfortunately, it became necessary for me to delete this recording).
Pssst ... spread the word!
