#pesticides
First study showing pesticide exposure can affect crop pollination by bees
For the first time an international team of researchers have shown that pesticides impair the pollination services provided by bumblebees.
Bees play a vital role in pollinating some of the most important food crops globally and have been declining in recent years. Until now research on pesticide effects has been limited to their impact on bees, rather than the pollination services they provide.
The study discovered that bumblebees exposed to a realistic level of neonicotinoid pesticides found in agricultural environments collected pollen from apple trees less often and visited flowers less frequently.
The findings of this study have important implications for both society and the economy, as insect pollination services to crops are worth at least $361Bn worldwide every year, and are vital to the functioning of natural ecosystem.
Image credits: Victoria Wickens, Dara Stanley, Dara Stanley
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Some plants such as lettuce require cool conditions for germination (<10 oC), a condition known as thermo-dormancy. This reflects the evolution of the wild parent species in cooler environments and growth cycles limited by higher summer temperatures. Transforming live but dormant seed into new healthy self-sufficient plants requires care and planning. The conditions in which seed is stored before use greatly affect the vigour and quality of plants post-germination. Seed which is stored too long or in unsuitable environments deteriorates resulting in unthrifty seedlings.
Aged seed
Seed is either sown directly into soil or into compost designed especially as an aid for germination. These composts contain carefully balanced nutrient formulae which provide larger proportions of potassium and phosphorus compounds which promote rooting and shoot growth. The amounts of nitrogen needed at and immediately post-germination are limited. Excess nitrogen immediately post-germination will cause over-rapid growth which is susceptible to pest and pathogen damage.
Minor nutrients will also be included in composts which ensures the establishment of efficient metabolic activities free from deficiency disorders. Composts require pH values at ~ 7.0 for the majority of seedlings unless they are of calicifuge (unsuited for calcareous soils) species where lime requirement is limited and the compost pH will be formulated at 6.0. Additionally, the pC will be carefully tuned ensuring correctly balanced ionic content avoiding root burning disorders. Finally, the compost should be water retentive but offering a rooting environment with at least 50 percent of the pore spaces filled with air. Active root respiration is essential while at the same time water is needed as the carrier for nutrient ions.
Seedlings encountering beneficial environments delivering suitable temperatures will germinate into healthy and productive plants.
Healthy seedlings
Some plants such as lettuce require cool conditions for germination (<10 oC), a condition known as thermo-dormancy. This reflects the evolution of the wild parent species in cooler environments and growth cycles limited by higher summer temperatures.
Careful husbandry under protection such as in greenhouses provides plants which can be successfully transplanted into the garden. The soil receiving these should be carefully cultivated, providing an open crumb structure which permits swift and easy rooting into the new environment. It is essential that in the establishment phase plants are free from water stress. Measures which avoid predation from birds such as pigeons may also be required.
Pigeon feeding
Netting or the placing of cotton threads above plants helps as a protection measure. Weeds must be removed otherwise competition will reduce crop growth and encourage pests and diseases, particularly slug browsing. Finally, the gardener will be rewarded for his/her work with a fruitful and enjoyable crop!
Written by: Professor Geoff Dixon, author of Garden practices and their science (ISBN 978-1-138-20906-0) published by Routledge 2019.
The Sun Front Page: August 16, 1969
Click on the newspaper above to get a closer view of the front page.
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Primary Threats to Bees + 10 ways to save them [Visuals]
Primary Threats to Bees + 10 ways to save them [Visuals]
#worldbeeday #savethebess #biodiversity #wildlife
Scientific studies have linked the use of pesticides containing the chemical thiamethoxam to the falling numbers of honeybees, wild bees and other animals which pollinate plants.
Insects play a vital role in the food chain – with around a third of the food we eat relying on pollination mainly by bees.
(more…)
![Eco-Friendly Pest Removals Ideas [Visual]→ http://ecogreenlove.com/?p=15511When you find pests in yo](https://64.media.tumblr.com/b1e824730d0a94a745f316bc3d9c3a12/be9470bb9066595a-30/s1280x1920/1a94be4e0aeaf47b0a9efac7a9cde6e0eb5361e7.png "Eco-Friendly Pest Removals Ideas [Visual]→ http://ecogreenlove.com/?p=15511When you find pests in yo")
Eco-Friendly Pest Removals Ideas [Visual]
→http://ecogreenlove.com/?p=15511When you find pests in your home or backyard, it can be tempting to call your local pest control company. However harsh pesticides can often do more harm than good. To help homeowners use effective yet eco-friendly pest removal, here is an in-depth guide on how to get rid of pests safely.
by @hippo_insurance
#ecofriendly #pestcontrol #gardening #pestfree
#garden #companionplanting #gardeningtips #gardentips #petsafe #naturalpesticide #pesticide
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If you aren’t totally quaking in your boots at the news of millions of bees dead, yet again, you’re nuts.
this should be concerning a lot more people than it is
not only because bees are one of the most important animals in the world and their job is a lot more than gathering honey but also because they are what scientists refer to as an “indicator species”
this means that when their populations start dwindling and then rapidly dropping, humans need to watch their shit because that means that environmental factors are too difficult for THEM to live in, so it might be difficult for US to live in, too. bees basically act as an indication that humans have a lot to worry about and when they start dying like this it deserves a lot more than a few headlines.
last year my biggest worry was the steep decline in bee population and apparently thats not about to change anytime soon. people have told me to my face that they think its strange I’m so concerned for the bees. read this you selfish fucks
Get excited, motherfuckers. Without bees, we will die off. Bayer and Monsanto continue to produce the chemicals that have been proven to kill them, and the government has their backs. Bees pollinate 30% of our food in the US and we are passing legislation to PROTECT the scumbags responsible for killing them.
I preach this shit to everyone who will listen and I always get “WAAAAH I HATE BEES THEY STING AND THEY ARE BIG MEANIES!” but think about your future life without kiwis, cranberries, blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, peaches, sunflowers, cotton, apples, plums, pears, mustard, celery, peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, beans, cherries, melons, turnips, canola oil, alfalfa, soybeans, lemons, oranges, and I could go on forever.
Bees are amazing creatures who are responsible for the comfortable lives we lead in this country and we cannot sustain and feed our population without them.
Alright you guys, there’s a good amount of notes on this but it’s only making us aware of the problem, not telling us what we can do to help. We can do something to help and YOU CAN HELP, YES THAT MEANS YOU. ALL YOU NEED IS DIRT, A FEW BUCKS, AND A MOMENT OF YOUR TIME TO MAKE A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE, LITERALLY.
Plant flowers that bees like and that attract them.
Bees prefer flowers that are blue, purple, and yellow. Choose flowers that bloom successively over the spring, summer, and fall seasons such as coreopsis, Russian sage, or germander. They especially love clover! Other plants include sage, salvia, oregano, lavender, ironweed, yarrow, yellow hyssop, alfalfa, honeywort, dragonhead, echinacea, bee balm, buttercup, goldenrod and English thyme. Buy seeds online.
GET RID OF THE PESTICIDES!!
If pesticides are killing off the bees so easily, what do you think it’s doing to us? The EPA says studies have shown pesticides can cause birth defects, nerve damage, and cancer. There are other ways to get rid of pests in the garden than using chemicals. Organic Garden Pests shows you how to keep off the bugs the organic way.
Give the bees a free home!
Giving bees a “bee block” alone is a huge load off their backs! You can buy homes here or You can even build your own.
Please, if you have already reblogged this, reblog this is again with what I have posted onto it so you know what you can do to help. We can make a difference.
Sources and other helpful links:
5 ways to help our disappearing bees
How to “Friend” Your Native Bees
Quick mention of the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, a nonprofit group doing a LOT of good work for bees and other pollinators, among others.
signal boost
Hey fellow vegans, I know we don’t like to use animal products, including honey, but unless we get their population issues settled it doesn’t hurt to support your local bee farms.
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Sébastien Dubois-Didcock, ‘Refined’
Refined is a photographic body of work embellishing the issues of petrochemistry in our agriculture in hopes to spark awareness.
Each image depicts a subject derived of highly polluting crops, that is unveiled by a stream of “petroleum”; the chemical used to create most of our pesticides and insecticides.
The contrast between the visible petroleum and the invisible food is representative of the dependency these crops have on the petrochemicals used in their production.
While these images are perhaps aesthetically pleasing, their background should remind us that not all progress is progressive.
Courtesy: PX3
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PESTICIDES IN HONEY. Gee. That’s a surprise. …..NOT!
EnvironmentPesticides that pose threat to humans and bees found in honey
Experts call the findings ‘alarming’, 'sobering' and a 'serious environmental concern’
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Every year, the USDA’s Pesticide Data Program publishes a report on pesticide residues found on a variety of food products. These detections, measured on >10,000 samples from across the country, tend to be below EPA tolerance levels. As such, the products are probably safe for human consumption. However, it’s still interesting to see which foods, particularly fruits and vegetables, have detectable levels of pesticides. Unless you’re sure your food is organic, you can use this graph to see which produce has a greater diversity of pesticides, and which items are generally pesticide free. Products like spinach and strawberries often have a lot of pesticides, and may be better purchased organic. Oranges and grapefruits are usually pretty clean, even when conventionally grown.
Data source: https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/2015PDPAnnualSummary.pdf
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