‘On Life Support’
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It's not just the bees. Birds are dying from pesticide exposure too.&hashtags=birds,bees | It's not just the bees. Birds are dying from pesticide exposure too.&hashtags=birds,bees | Read the Full Article
It’s not just the bees that are dying from exposure to pesticides. The birds are dropping like, well, bees, too.
New research, published in the journal Scientific Reports, confirms that two widely used pesticide types—neonicotinoids and organophosphates—are causing migrating songbirds to lose weight and their sense of direction.
The report focused on two pesticides—Imidacloprid (a neonicotinoid) and chlorpyrifos (an organophosphate).
Neonicotinoids, often applied to seeds before they’re planted, have long been associated with Colony Collapse Disorder—even though studies show that coating the seeds pre-planting provides little or no benefit to farmers.
Chlorpyrifos, a known neurotoxin, was set to be banned in the U.S.. But incoming EPA pick, Scott Pruitt, overturned the ban after a private meeting with Dow CEO Andrew Liveris.
Imidacloprid and chlorpyrifos are used on more than 100 different crops, including wheat and canola, and are found in dozens of commercial products, according to a report in Canada’s National Post.
Read ‘On Life Support:’ Research Shows Common Pesticides Starve, Disorient Birds’