EPA Approves New Bee-Safe Insecticide

The EPA has approved the first US registration of an agricultural insecticide product containing flupyradifurone, an alternative to pyrethroids, neonicotinoids, organophosphates, and avermectins that's supposed to not harm bees. It's also being reviewed by Canada and Australia.

Quote:

As an insecticide, flupyradifurone is unusual in that laboratory-based studies indicate that the compound is practically non-toxic to adult honeybees. Studies show no adverse effect on overall bee colony performance or overwintering ability when compared to untreated colonies. ... This decision was one of the first to incorporate newly-required bee studies and involved evaluating the largest number of bee-related studies ever for the registration of a new chemical. EPA reviewed 437 studies including 38 different tests on bees to analyze the potential exposure and effects of flupyradifurone. These included evaluation of the sublethal effects of pesticides on all life stages of bees, as well as effects on colony health in field studies. The field studies examined pollinator-attractive crops while bees were actively foraging after the crops had been treated through various application methods (seed, soil and foliar) to demonstrate very high exposure.

A Google search for the active ingredient turns up a couple blogs last year screaming about a new "bee-killing poison" the government is about to approve, but they seem to be working on the assumption that it's another neonicotinoid, which it isn't.



The EPA registration decision is here. The ecological risk assessment starts on page 5.



Bayer is going to make a killing (no pun intended) if this takes off.

via International Skeptics Forum http://ift.tt/1BRcAqa