Just field notes this week!

Our theme music was composed and performed by Heather's son Callum, and the challenging job of audio editing done by the uber-talented Laura Eccleston.

We're back with more critical information about pesticides in the ornamental industry, this time with the amazing Dr. Christine Bishop.  Dr. Bishop is a research scientist at Environment Canada in the area of Conservation and Protection of Species At Risk, her current research focuses on cumulative stressors on Species at Risk and bird, reptiles and amphibian indicator species in riparian, wetland, and grassland ecosystems.  She has published over 100 peer reviewed journal papers, and several books on wildlife toxicology, but today we will be focusing on her work on pesticide effects on hummingbirds and other songbirds.

The papers we discuss can be found below:

Temporal and spatial patterns of systemic insecticides in avian and insect pollinators and flowers in western Canada (2018, 2019)

Imidacloprid and chlorpyrifos insecticides impair migratory ability in a seed-eating songbird

Bluebirds Experience Impaired Hatching Success in Conventionally Sprayed Apple Orchard Habitats: A 31-Year Study

Our theme music was composed and performed by Heather's son Callum, and the challenging job of audio editing done by the uber-talented Laura Eccleston.

Just field notes this week!

Our theme music was composed and performed by Heather's son Callum, and the challenging job of audio editing done by the uber-talented Laura Eccleston.

Just field notes this week!

Our theme music was composed and performed by Heather's son Callum, and the challenging job of audio editing done by the uber-talented Laura Eccleston.

Just field notes this week!

Our theme music was composed and performed by Heather's son Callum, and the challenging job of audio editing done by the uber-talented Laura Eccleston.

Just field notes this week!

Our theme music was composed and performed by Heather's son Callum, and the challenging job of audio editing done by the uber-talented Laura Eccleston.

Just field notes this week!

Our theme music was composed and performed by Heather's son Callum, and the challenging job of audio editing done by the uber-talented Laura Eccleston.

Sorry to say, you need to worry about more than just the neonics being used in horticulture/agriculture and silvicuture/arboriculture.  As fast, actually way faster, as one pesticide's use is restricted slightly several more "novel" ones are licensed for use.   Add to that the horrifying number of pesticides used on plants/soils in our industry, and those related to ours, you get a  fatal stew of synergistic fatal effects for our beloved insects.   

This week we chat with the truly brilliant, Dr. Harry Siviter, (@harrysiviter on Twitter) who has published an astonishing number of powerful research papers so early in his career.  His rigorous and extensive analyses and research has allowed him to make strong statements in top-tier scientific journals.   One of his key messages:

"Therefore, while our results confirm that bans on neonicotinoid use will likely benefit wild bee populations, they will only be successful if paired with (1) changes to the agrochemical regulatory process, that ensures novel insecticides do not have a similar sub-lethal effects on non-Apis bees and (2) a reduction in intensive agriculture, and a move towards an integrated pest management approach that promotes biological control, and reduced insecticide use (Colin et al., 2020; Siviter & Muth, 2020). A failure to radically change food production, and agrochemical regulation, will result in a continued decline in bee populations that we rely on for functioning eco-systems."

Listen in to hear why.

And if you want to read more, here are the references to just a few of his impressive papers:

Siviter H, Richman SK & Muth F (2021) Field‐realistic neonicotinoid exposure has sub‐lethal effects on non‐Apis bees: A meta‐analysis. Ecology Letters, 24, 2586–2597.

Siviter H, Bailes EJ, Martin CD, Oliver TR, Koricheva J, Leadbeater E & Brown MJF (2021) Agrochemicals interact synergistically to increase bee mortality. Nature, 596, 389–392.

Harry Siviter, Anthony K Johnson, Felicity Muth, Bumblebees Exposed to a Neonicotinoid Pesticide Make Suboptimal Foraging Decisions, Environmental Entomology, Volume 50, Issue 6, December 2021, Pages 1299–1303.

Siviter H, Muth F. (2020) Do novel insecticides pose a threat to beneficial insects? Proc. R. Soc. B 287: 20201265. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2020.1265

Siviter, H., Brown, M.J.F. & Leadbeater, E. Sulfoxaflor exposure reduces bumblebee reproductive success. Nature 561, 109–112 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-018-0430-6

Our theme music was composed and performed by Heather's son Callum, and the challenging job of audio editing done by the uber-talented Laura Eccleston.

Just field notes this week...

Our theme music was composed and performed by Heather's son Callum, and the challenging job of audio editing done by the uber-talented Laura Eccleston.

This week is part 2 of Heather's chat with our fabulous friend, Lorna Jackson of Ninebark Farm about how the implementation of her business plan went and about the book Lorna recommended to Heather, The Day the World Stops Shopping,  and what it means for their flower businesses and business in general. 

Our theme music was composed and performed by Heather's son Callum, and the challenging job of audio editing done by the uber-talented Laura Eccleston.