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Neonicotinoids Made Easy

Fact Sheet 2024-3014
Water Resources Mission Area—Water Resource Research Act Program
Prepared in cooperation with the National Parks Service
By:  and 
https://doi.org/10.3133/fs20243014

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What are Pollinators?

A pollinator is an animal (typically an insect) that helps plants make seeds or fruit by moving pollen from one part of the plant to another. Pollen from flowers stick to pollinators that land on the flower to drink its nectar. When pollinators move to other flowers, the pollen carried by the pollinators fertilizes the other flowers. This process is called “pollination,” and it's essential for many plants to be able to make fruits and seeds.

What are Pesticides?

Pesticides are chemicals that are used to kill or control pests and are often used in agriculture and gardens. These chemicals are developed in laboratories and classified based on what they control, such as insecticides for insects, herbicides for weeds, fungicides for fungi, and rodenticides for rodents.

What are Neonicotinoids and Why are They Important?

Neonicotinoids are a type of pesticide that is commonly used in agriculture to protect crops from pests like insects. Neonicotinoids can effectively control pests and help farmers protect their crops; however, there is concern about the effect of neonicotinoids on pollinators, particularly bees. Because some studies indicate that neonicotinoids can harm bees and other pollinators that are important for the pollination of many crops, there is ongoing research about the use of neonicotinoids and their potential effects on the environment.

The primary concern with neonicotinoids and other pesticides is that they can harm bees by reducing their ability to pollinate. This harm can happen through direct poisoning, disorientation, weakened immune systems, or reduced reproductive capacity among bees. Bees play a crucial role in pollinating many of the crops humans rely on for food, and their decline could lead to decreases in crop yields and overall food production.

1. Four half-inch squared colored photos of an agricultural area arranged in a downward manner with arrows between the images pointing down and the last image being of a stream of water.
Figure 1.

Routes of possible neonicotinoid transport and exposure in the environment.

For more information concerning the research in this report, contact the

Director, California Water Science Center

U.S. Geological Survey

6000 J Street, Placer Hall

Sacramento, California 95819

https://www.usgs.gov/centers/california-water-science-center

Publishing support provided by the U.S. Geological Survey

Science Publishing Network, Sacramento Publishing Service Center

Suggested Citation

Shukla, S., and Tejeda, E., 2024, Neonicotinoids made easy: U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 2024-3014, 2 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/fs20243014.

ISSN: 2327-6932 (online)

ISSN: 2327-6916 (print)

Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Neonicotinoids made easy
Series title Fact Sheet
Series number 2024-3014
DOI 10.3133/fs20243014
Year Published 2024
Language English and Spanish
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Publisher location Reston, VA
Contributing office(s) California Water Science Center
Description 2 p.
Online Only (Y/N) N
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
Additional publication details