What Are the Dangers of Pesticides? The Banned Drug Fipronil Poisons Millions of Bees
Millions of bees have been poisoned by the banned pesticide fipronil! Reports of damage have come from the Puli and Caotun areas of central Taiwan, China. What exactly happened? Let's take a look together.
Quick facts about fipronil: It is used as a pesticide, an animal drug and an environmental drug; it acts as a neurotoxin and has an immediate effect on insects. There are three uses and scope of application, including the 4.95% suspension concentrate for broad-spectrum insecticidal use (already banned), the granules used to control pests in rice and corn (0.3% fipronil granules), and the spot-on drops used against fleas on dogs and cats (such as the product "Frontline").
The pesticide fipronil has been banned for three years (the 4.95% suspension concentrate), yet it continues to circulate on the market. After last year's incident that affected a million eggs across Taiwan, China and caused mass deaths of bees in Puli, this year it once again caused acute poisoning deaths of honeybees in central Taiwan, China. Beekeepers roughly estimate that the number of affected hives reached several hundred, causing the acute death of millions of bees. Feng Haidong, Director-General of the Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine of the Council of Agriculture, said that fipronil is indeed still being circulated illegally, and new supplies are even being smuggled into Taiwan, China. Regarding the bee poisoning cases in central Taiwan, China, clear reports have been received, and the Bureau encourages everyone to report violations, with substantial rewards available.
Wu Zixian, head of the Silkworm and Bee Section of the Miaoli District Agricultural Research and Extension Station, said that in mid-August this year beekeepers reported that bees were showing symptoms of acute poisoning. After samples were sent to the Tea Research and Extension Station for testing, it was confirmed that the pesticide fipronil was the cause. Fipronil is acutely toxic to bees; even a tiny residue can affect them. In this case, besides fipronil showing the highest reading, eight other pesticides were also detected, including chlorpyrifos, imidacloprid and benomyl.
We should stop using highly harmful pesticides. This is not only bad for people, but also harms the ecological environment, and has also caused the tragic deaths of millions of bees.