Neonicotinoid

• There is widespread recognition that the ongoing global increase in pesticide use is a significant contributor to the biodiversity crisis.
• But we still haven’t heeded the warning that Rachel Carson’s book, Silent Spring, gave us in 1962.
• If we are to tackle the biodiversity crisis, then radical and specific action is needed by governments around the world to mitigate the impact of pesticides.
• It is deeply concerning that the UK national action plan for the sustainable use of pesticides is six years late.

On target?

• But several European countries are making significant progress through the use of targets in these areas.
• Many environmental organisations also called for more concrete plans to support farmers to properly implement integrated pest management.
• Research has shown that integrated pest management is an effective way to reduce pesticide use.

Strengthening the strategy

• Now that a final plan is thought to be imminent, members of the Pesticide Collaboration is gearing up to prepare a response.
• As outlined by this coalition, there was broad agreement that the national action plan’s new iteration should include:

a continued commitment to the precautionary principle and a hazards-based approach to pesticide regulation
ambitious and unambiguous targets to reduce impacts of pesticides on the environment via reducing usage and toxicity (and not simply a promise to introduce such targets at a future date)
a strategy to phase out pesticide use in urban areas
provision of support, advice and training for farmers to adopt integrated pest management, with a clear definition of what is meant by the term
a commitment to breaking the link between agronomic advice and profits from pesticide sales (at present most of the agronomists who advise farmers work for pesticide companies)
an end to emergency authorisations of banned chemicals.

• Other issues that have been raised by environmental organisations include provision for better monitoring of pesticide use and environmental fate.
• For example, monitoring of rivers is patchy while soils are scarcely ever screened for pesticides.

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Dave Goulson is a member of the Green Party

• This year is off to a bumper start, with bush flies swarming beach-goers, March flies on the march, and mosquitoes taking to the skies en masse.
• Despite their sheer diversity, we’re likely to encounter only a select few flies daily.

Familiar faces

• They slake their thirst on the sweat and tears of mammals and so linger around our heads, shoulders and faces in search of a refreshing drink.
• These small explorers are otherwise harmless, and pose no serious threat to health or home beyond being a mild nuisance.
• They are also, however, excellent pollinators, with some orchids relying on their hard work and specialised mouthparts for survival.
• Malaria is among the farthest-reaching, while Ross River Virus, chikungunya, zika and dengue all circulate with help from mosquitoes.

Shoo fly?

For the minority of flies that prove a recurring annoyance, the primary goal is to deter rather than kill them. In this case, the remedies are simple:

• Read more:
  The battle against bugs: it's time to end chemical warfare

  Avoid reaching for the bug-bombs and sprays, which have devastating impacts on beneficial insects.

• Similarly, those noise-emitting, electrified or smelly gadgets that promise a fly-free existence are best avoided, as most are either ineffective, or harm far more than their intended targets.

From pesky to paramount

• Flies are among the most diverse animals on the planet, and are utterly crucial for the healthy function of our ecosystems.
• On the other side of the circle of life are outstanding decomposers, such as black soldier flies.
• Moreover, flies have proven invaluable in forensics, medicine and scientific research, and environmental monitoring, underscoring how deeply our lives intertwine with theirs.

Fly on

• The natural world – us included – would not be the same without them.
• He is also affiliated with the conservation charity Invertebrates Australia.

• WASHINGTON, May 6, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Garden for Wildlife, Inc., a leading conservation organization and native plant purveyor, has announced the launch of a new one-for-one program .
• Launched January 1, 2023, this one-for-one initiative helps Garden for Wildlife enable conservation of twice as many native plants and double the amount of wildlife habitat restored.
• "Our new Garden for Wildlife program is a crucial step toward achieving our vision of a world in which wildlife and people can thrive together," says Shubber Ali, CEO of Garden for Wildlife.
• When a native plant is sold on GardenforWildlife.com, another native plant is reserved by Garden for Wildlife to support a future native plant garden.

• New this year, Ferry-Morse is introducing more than 40 different Plantlings Garden Starter Kits, curated bundles of Plantlings that complement each other and take the guesswork out of planning and buying.
• In addition to kits that suit spatial requirements like a variety of flower border kits, many are curated by special interest.
• In addition to this year’s Garden Starter Kits, Ferry-Morse has added new Plantlings varieties across popular flower, vegetable and herb selections.
• Plantlings Garden Starter Kits will be available for orders beginning March 13.