Jennie Kalberer
10/24/2018 1:59 PM
Pollinators are important to our ecosystem. They are responsible for most of our crops, and without them, we would suffer financially, physically, and emotionally. People dont realize how important these animals are (i researched the significance of bees as pollinators but there are many others including butterflies, wasps, moths etc. I was most astounded that common household pesticides had such a huge impact on our pollinator populations (i am very proud to live in Portland, read below) :
One of the factors in the disappearance of honeybees — a group of pesticides known as
neonicotinoids. These pesticides are present in commonly used home gardening products and are regularly sprayed on millions of acres of corn, soy, wheat and cotton seeds in the United States alone. Scientific reports say the insecticides act as a nerve poison, infecting the pollen and nectar of plants, disorienting the bees and making it
impossible for them to find their way back to their hives.
One of the factors in the disappearance of honeybees — a group of pesticides known as
neonicotinoids. These pesticides are present in commonly used home gardening products and are regularly sprayed on millions of acres of corn, soy, wheat and cotton seeds in the United States alone. Scientific reports say the insecticides act as a nerve poison, infecting the pollen and nectar of plants, disorienting the bees and making it
impossible for them to find their way back to their hives.
In April, 2015, the Portland City Commission voted unanimously to immediately suspend use of products that contain neonicotinoids, making Portland the second largest city in the U.S. (after Seattle) to ban the use of neonicotinoids on public lands.
