Insecticides' Destructive Effects

Insecticides' Destructive Effects

By Dr Arvind Kumar

Neonicotinoids, a new class of insecticides, is reportedly causing drastic population declines in bird species. It is so effective at killing insects, that it has deprived birds of their basic food. Some scientists also believe these are behind the decline in bee populations in Europe and the United States known as honey-bee Colony Collapse Disorder. Neonicotinoids, which are part of the nicotine family, primarily remain glued to plant seeds, and infiltrate the entire plant. Any bug that eats the plant is immediately infected. The toxin attacks the central nervous system and causes a quick death. It is much less toxic to other animals because the chemical blocks a specific neural pathway found more commonly in insects.

Henk Tennekes, researcher at the Experimental Toxicology Services in Zutphen, the Netherlands, in his recent book, The Systemic Insecticides: A Disaster in the Making, has linked the use of neonicotinoids to declines in bird populations. He says, "The evidence shows that the bird species suffering massive declines since the 1990s rely on insects for their diet." More research is called for to conclusively link neonicotinoids to avian declines. Regardless, some countries in Europe have taken small steps to limit its use. However, Henk Tennekes believes that a global ban is the only solution.