The search is on for effective alternatives!

Neonicotinoids are the most widely used insecticides globally – used on most fruit and vegetables, including apples, cherries, peaches, oranges, berries, leafy greens, tomatoes, and potatoes, to cereal grains, rice, nuts, and wine grapes, to control a variety of pests.

When introduced, neonicotinoids were thought to have low toxicity to many insects, but more recent research suggested potential toxicity to honeybees and other beneficial insects even with low levels of exposure.

Hence, in 2018, the EU banned the three main neonicotinoids (clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam) for all outdoor uses.
Growers were left struggling to find effective alternatives to pesticides previously used and the growth of biotech companies trying to find solutions through natural predators of the most destructive pests began.

Key, however, is to use chemical or biological pest control ONLY when pest levels are high enough, for them to pose a threat.
Monitoring within IPM (Integrated Pest Management) is the first step to support growers to ensure healthy and profitable harvests.
We, at IPS, have an extensive choice of highly effective monitoring solutions for a substantial variety of pests.