Charm City Honey Bees

European honey bees, native bee species, and other pollinators in Maryland have suffered population losses in recent years. This has led to increased scrutiny of a widely used class of insecticides, known as neonicotinoids. Public concerns resulted in the passage of the Pollinator Protection Act of 2016 by the Maryland General Assembly. The law went into effect on January 1, 2018, and restricts the sales and use of neonicotinoid pesticides. Only farmers and certified pesticide applicators (or people working under their supervision) can apply neonicotinoid pesticides outdoors. So, while neonicotinoid products may appear on store shelves in Maryland, they cannot be applied outdoors by gardeners.

Key points about pesticides:

• Pesticides include a wide range of substances labeled herbicides, insecticides, rodenticides, and fungicides.

• Neonicotinoids are a class of insecticides that are cited as a primary threat to pollinators and other beneficial insects.

• Pollinators are essential for the reproduction of many native plant species and to the production of food crops on farms and in gardens.

• You can help pollinators by avoiding pesticide use when possible and using alternative pest control.

• If you must use pesticides, it is important to read and follow label instructions and avoid direct application of pesticides where pollinators frequently visit.

• Some large chain stores are responding to public interest and demand by either phasing out or eliminating the sale of plants treated with neonicotinoids. Ask your local garden centers and nurseries about the pesticides that are used to produce the plants they sell.