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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] Imidacloprid - helpful info on characteristics

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  • From: <sunnfarm AT netscape.com>
  • To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Imidacloprid - helpful info on characteristics
  • Date: Mon, 2 Aug 2010 07:46:02 -0700

The article says imidacloprid is found in most homeowner insecticides. Can
someone name one of these homeowner insecticides. I don't spend much time in
garden centers but I have yet to see inidacloprid on any shelf. I only see it
sold to nursery and agricultural businesses. Since this product came on the
market its been tightly controlled to prevent insect resistance. Which is why
most ag pesticides are not avaliable to the general public. I would like to
see more research on pollen/ nectar. When imidacloprid first came on the
market and to this day when we apply it to greenhouse flowering plants like
New Guinea Impatiens it will not kill insects in the flowers. Western flower
thrips will die feeding in foliage but not from feeding in flowers. This
finding lead us to conclude that imidacloprid does not pass into flowers of
broadleaf plants until fruiting bodies have formed which is after pollen and
nectar are gone... eternally perplexed Bob.

--- chriscreid AT yahoo.com wrote:

From: Chris Reid <chriscreid AT yahoo.com>
To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: [Market-farming] Imidacloprid - helpful info on characteristics
Date: Mon, 2 Aug 2010 06:17:06 -0700 (PDT)

A University of Minnesota researcher discusses the amounts of imidacloprid
found in pollen and nectar of plants treated with this chemical.

http://blog.lib.umn.edu/efans/ygnews/2010/08/imidacloprid-found-in-most-hom.html

PAN-UK cautions on the studied effects on beneficials, earth worms, and the
ability of soil to break down leaf litter:
" Imidacloprid is acutely toxic to earthworms, for example the LC50 (the
lethal concentration required to kill 50% of a test population) of the
species Eisenia fetida is between 2 and 4 ppm in the soil. At lower
concentrations, the activity of the enzyme cellulase in the soil, that allows
the break down of plant litter is reduced by imidacloprid concentrations of
0.2 ppm.
Soil application of granular imidacloprid is the most common. This is
less harmful than the foliar spray because it is less likely to come into
direct contact with non-target insects. However many natural enemies
supplement their diet by feeding on plant material. As imidacloprid is
systemic it can be translocated to the surface of the plant, increasing the
chances of direct contact with insects on the plants. Laboratory tests have
also shown that imidacloprid is acutely toxic to a variety of predatory
insects including mirid bugs, ladybirds and lacewings."

For those with potable wells or high water tables, an important note: I was
surprised to learn that imidacloprid is in a category of pesticides with very
high leaching potential.

Here is a link to Canadian Sierra Club rundown on some of the scientific
findings regarding imidacloprid:
http://www.sierraclub.ca/national/programs/health-environment/pesticides/imidacloprid-fact-sheet.shtml

What least toxic methods have worked for others on control of cucumber
beetles on squash? I bought cucumber beetle lures this year and sticky
traps, but so far insect pressure is very low.

Chris Reid
Stamford, CT



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