Neonicotinoid Pesticide Use in Canada, Essay Example

Introduction

Pesticides, and the use of green chemistry has continued to progress at an astounding rate in the effort to meet the food productivity needs of the global population. It is estimated that chemical insecticides preserve twenty percent of annual crop yield (Blacquière, Smagghe, Gestel, Cornelis, & Veerie, 2012). This percentage further emphasizes that insecticides are crucial for sustaining the global food supply. As a newer class of insecticide, neonicotinoids are a safer alternative to conventional pesticides and insecticides in existence. Their method of application as a seed treatment, allows for targeted pest control with minimal application needed. Neonicotinoids are classified as a systemic insecticide – meaning they are absorbed by the plant and transferred throughout its tissue; this is an advantage when targeting insect pests. When neonicotinoids are applied as a seed treatment, birds, animals and humans are less likely to encounter the insecticide in the form of residues or spray drift. In Canada, neonicotinoids have made a major impact on insect pest control in a relatively short amount of time. However, concern has been raised regarding the impact of neonicotinoids on honeybees and native bee pollinators. The issue and concern of increasing pollinator deaths is a complex issue consisting of multiple factors. The blame of pollinator losses should not and cannot be blamed exclusively on neonicotinoid insecticide use in Canada, due to the safe and eco-friendly benefits they have. With studies published both for and against neonicotinoids, this paper aims to show why there is not enough scientific evidence to ban neonicotinoids in Canada.

Statistical Evidence

Statistics play an important role in proving any scientific claim. The ban of neonicotinoid pesticide in Canada has been founded on claim that lack any concrete statistical evidence towards a causal effect between the application of pesticides in Canada and honeybee mortality. Scientific research done depicts that neonicotinoid pesticide cause honeybee mortality in the right dosage. However, this research fails to provide clear evidence on whether honeybees are exposed to this amount of dosage in the field when farmers apply neonicotinoid pesticide on crops.

Evidence to the Contrary

Alberta

Despite the negative publicity neonicotinoid pesticides, there are a number of independent interest groups that have openly opposed their ban. This has caused a general split in Canada’s bee keeping community, pitting the Ontario Beekeepers against Alberta beekeeping associations. Beekeepers in Alberta opposed the ban on neonicotinoid pesticides providing statistical evidence to disprove the association between bee mortality and the application of neonicotinoid pesticide on crops.

(Tavares, 2014)

It is important to consider that the main reason Ontario is pushing for the ban on neonicotinoid pesticide is due to the large number of bee keepers in the province. The province of Ontario currently has 37% of the beekeepers in Canada. This is more than any other region. However, this province only has 14% of the colonies in Canada. It is for this reason that beekeepers in Ontario are predisposed to have a considerable bargaining power when it comes to policy issues. The province of Alberta accounts for 42% of all bee colonies in Canada, the higher than any other province. It also accounts for 11% of beekeepers in Canada. Bee losses would not be felt until a considerable proportions of the bee population is lost.

The United States

This evidence is supported by statistical evidence on U.S. Honeybee colonies. The States has been employing the use of neonicotinoid pesticides since the late 1990s. Despite this fact, honey bee colonies in the country have maintained a steady level, above 2.5 million annually (Tavares, 2014).

As the graph depicts, the U.S. bee industry was considerably affected during the early and mid-90s as was the global bee industry. Neonicotinoid pesticides were not in use during this time. However, even since the introduction of neonicotinoid pesticides, honeybee populations in the United States have been steadily rising, despite considerable wintering losses.

Wintering Losses

Most of the losses in the bee population in Canada is not as a result of massive colony losses, but wintering losses. The generally accepted level of bee deaths during the winter is 15%. However, this number has been increasing in the past decade, reaching above 25% in 6 of the previous 8 winters (Tavares, 2014). One winter has recorded a 35% wintering bee loss. It has been found that current bee species have a decreasing ability to survive the winter

As depicted in the graphical representation, most of the bee deaths occur during the winter. As such the growing concern over bee deaths is unfounded.

Entomologist in Mid-South University, New Orleans conducted a study on the link between neonics and bee mortality. Their study depicted neonics as less harmful than earlier reports indicated. While it is largely believed that neonics are injected into the plant when in the seed stage. These chemicals are then expressed in the plant’s nectar and pollen, however, this research revealed quite the opposite. When the researchers evaluated soybeans, cotton and corn that was treated with neonicotinoid pesticides, no traces of the neonic chemicals were found in cotton nectar and soybean flowers. Microscopic traces of neonics were presented in corn. However, these were at insignificant impact levels. The largest traces of neonics in corn was 2.3 parts per billion ( United States. Agricultural Research Service, 2013).

Questionable Studies

The call for the ban on neonicotinoid pesticides in Canada resulted from a number of studies in the field that revealed the traces of neonicotinoid pesticides. One of the studies that revealed the harmful effects of neonicotinoid pesticides on honeybees was conducted by French Scientists has come under criticism. In the study, a number of free-ranging honeybees had their brains doused with considerably high doses of neonic imidacloprid. Bees belonging to these colonies experienced decreasing number of queens to develop new colonies and colony growth rates. However, this study employed highly questionable assumptions when the bees’ brains were doused with neonic imidacloprid. Bees do not encounter neonics in such a manner in the field.

Contributor Not Primary Driver

In 2012, the EPA and the US Agriculture Department were faced with a similar dilemma where activists called for the ban of neonicotinoid pesticides. In a report issued in May 2013, the organizations cited neonic as a contributor to bee mortality but not a minor contributor. This is because major contributors include bacteria, viruses, colony management, habitat loss, genetics and poor nutrition. These pesticides only affect insects in considerable doses, which are not likely experienced in the field. However, prolonged exposure to small doses of pesticides have been found to considerably decrease a bee’s immunity to viruses. It is for this reason that bees have been found to be increasingly susceptible to the tobacco ring-spot virus

The major contributor to bee death in North America was found to be the parasitic varroa mite.

Varroa Mites

The highest number (60%) of bee deaths recorded in Canadian be attributed to the varroa mite (Tavares, 2014). This is because the varroa mite affects bees in two ways. First, the varroa mite is a parasite and it feeds of the bodily fluids of bees. When these mites become uncontrolled, they could waste away colonies within a relatively short amount of time. Secondly, the varroa mites have been found to be carriers of the tobacco-ringspot virus. This pathogen was initially presumed to affect only plants but has been found in bees. The pathogen has been found to possess incredible mutation abilities as it has the ability to infect both plants and animals now

This pathogen infects a colony, considerably reducing its growth and the number of queens it produces. The virus gets into a colony through pollen. When infected pollen finds its way into hives, it starts infecting honeybee body parts and even the varroa mites on the bees. Infected varroa mites can transfer this disease rapidly throughout the colony from one bee to another. This raises the importance of varroa mites in the bee mortality in North America.

In conclusion, pesticides, and the use of green chemistry has continued to progress at an astounding rate in the effort to meet the food productivity needs of the global population. It is estimated that chemical insecticides preserve twenty percent of annual crop yield. In Canada, neonicotinoids have made a major impact on insect pest control in a relatively short amount of time. However, concern has been raised regarding the impact of neonicotinoids on honeybees and native bee pollinators. Despite the negative publicity neonicotinoid pesticides, there are a number of independent interest groups that have openly opposed their ban. Most of the losses in the bee population in Canada is not as a result of massive colony losses, but wintering losses. Entomologist in Mid-South University, New Orleans conducted a study on the link between neonics and bee mortality. Their study depicted neonics as less harmful than earlier reports indicated. Some studies employed highly questionable assumptions when the bees’ brains were doused with neonic imidacloprid. The blame of pollinator losses should not and cannot be blamed exclusively on neonicotinoid insecticide use in Canada, due to the safe and eco-friendly benefits they have.

References

United States. Agricultural Research Service. (2013). Report on the National Stakeholders Conference on Honey Bee Health. National Honey Bee Health Stakeholder Conference. Washington: United States Dept. of Agriculture.

Blacquière, T., Smagghe, G., Gestel, V., Cornelis, A. M., & Veerie, M. (2012). Neonicotinoids in bees: a review on concentrations, side-effects and risk assessment. Ecotoxicology, 21, 4.

Gestel, C. A., & Mommaerts, V. (2012). Neonicotinoids in bees: a review on concentrations, side-effects and risk assessment. Ecotoxicology, 21(4), 973-992.

Tavares, A. (2014). Statistical Overview of the Canadian Honey Industry. Quebec: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Retrieved March 21, 2015, from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada: http://www5.agr.gc.ca/resources/prod/doc/horticulture/honey_rep_2013-eng.pdf