The Environmental Impact of Neonic Insecticides

January 4, 2025

Notes from the webinar "Neonics and Advocacy: Protecting Pollinators and Influencing Policy"

By Sharon Bauer, Friends of Bees 

Friends of Bees is a fellow Watertown-based group that was founded in 2014 to educate about and advocate for native bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. They are a working group within Watertown Citizens for Peace, Justice, and the Environment and a frequent collaborator with WCG, specifically our Pollinator Pathways Committee. You can read more about them here.

Several members of Friends of Bees recently watched a really stunning Webinar on “Neonics and Advocacy” that is now available on YouTube through the Wild Ones website.

Lucas Rhoads from the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) presented research on the harmful effects of neonicotinoid systemic insecticides. Neonicotinoids, or “neonics”, are widely used insecticides that have been linked to myriad environmental harms, though even those already familiar with this issue may be shocked. Some key takeaways from the webinar include: 

  • The use of neonics has massively increased in the last 20 years, making them the most widely-used insecticide in the U.S. 
  • Neonics are used to treat seeds, which then makes every part of the plant (including pollen) toxic. The treated seeds are not regulated as pesticides.
  • Neonics wash off of treated seeds into soil and water systems, where they are extremely persistent. 
  • Neonics have been found in 97% of samples from streams and lakes, and are not removed by conventional water treatment systems. They are highly toxic to aquatic invertebrates, leading to a collapse in aquatic ecosystems.
  • A new study shows that neonics are the leading cause of declines not only in bees and Monarch butterflies, but in birds and aquatic life as well. A single treated seed can kill a small songbird. Even sublethal amounts can cause great harm to bees.

The webinar also presented solutions for tackling this critical issue:

  • We now have evidence that stopping the use of neonics in agriculture is not associated with lower crop yields!
  • Quebec in 2019 moved to a “verification of need” system with no harm to yields.
  • ME, NY, NJ and NV have banned the use of neonics in lawns and gardens except for removing invasives.

 Friends of Bees has been sounding the alarm about this for ten years. Maybe this new evidence can motivate us all to greater advocacy? If you are interested in protecting our native pollinators, you can read about ways to get involved with Pollinator Pathways here!

< Older Post

Newer Post >

Share this post on

Seeking a Volunteer Social Media Manager

June 3, 2026
Do you enjoy storytelling, community engagement, and helping good work reach more people? WCG is looking for a volunteer Social Media Manager to help share the energy and impact of our community with a wider audience.  This is a great opportunity for someone who enjoys creating engaging posts, building community, and supporting local environmental and community initiatives.
People gathered outdoors around a table in a park, chatting near a path and leafless trees.

“Greening the streets” one planting strip at a time, part 1

May 30, 2026
by Marilyn Salvas and Melinda Dennis
Friends of Bees logo

Watertown Community Gardens Welcomes Friends of Bees!

May 19, 2026
by Pam Phillips  As you may know, for the last several years, Friends of Bees, a working group of Watertown Citizens for Peace, Justice, and the Environment (WCPJE) , have been meeting and collaborating with WCG’s Pollinator Pathways Committee. Together we have held the Life-Friendly Garden Tour, maintained public pollinator gardens, led pollinator walks, and more. Together we support Watertown's Mayor's Monarch Pledge . Together, we educate about and advocate for our native bees, Monarch butterflies and other pollinators. This year, Friends of Bees are making that togetherness official by merging with the Pollinator Pathways Committee. Twelve years ago, Watertown Citizens asked “What is happening to the bees?” and formed a new working group, Friends of Bees. Friends of Bees learned about the many challenges bees face, especially pesticides and habitat loss. Today, we welcome Friends of Bees to a new home with Watertown Community Gardens. The Life-Friendly Garden Tour, with its rich history of 28 chemical-free garden tours over nearly twenty years, will also be hosted by WCG. WCPJE has always served as an incubator for community groups. Over the years, many initiatives started and fostered under WCPJE later matured into independent organizations expanding the circle of like minded activists. Watertown Community Gardens was one such group. Friends of Bees thanks WCPJE for an abundance of enthusiasm and support as we branch off, while maintaining our role in the larger Watertown community. To stay in touch with Friends of Bees and the Life-Friendly Garden Tour please visit Watertown Community Gardens at our new website . When you sign up for the WCG newsletter , make sure to indicate your interest in pollinators and eco gardening. Details of the 2026 Life-Friendly Garden Tour will be shared in the WCG newsletter this summer. Keep buzzing!

RECENT Posts