Vote scheduled on revised legislation extending some of Gov. Phil Murphy’s pandemic powers beyond this month’s planned end of the public health emergency.
Save New Jerseyâs bees: Reduce use of âneonicsâ
By Michele S. Byers
New Jersey is still the âGarden State,â famous for blueberries, peaches, tomatoes, corn and other delicious fruits and veggies.
But these valuable crops will not grow without the services of honeybees, wild bees like bumblebees, and other insect pollinators. Together, they pollinate nearly $200 million worth of produce a year.
Bees are disappearing at an alarming rate and mounting evidence points to insecticides known as neonicotinoids, or âneonicsâ for short. Chemically related to nicotine, neonics are neurotoxins that kill by attacking the nerve cells of insects.
Neonics are often applied as a âdrenchâ to plant roots or as a coating on seeds. The toxin dissolves in water and is soaked up by plants as they grow, spreading through the tissues to all parts of the plant, including the nectar and pollen.