Protection of pollinators, beneficial organisms and mammals
Tukes conducts a risk assessment to evaluate whether the product’s proposed use will pose a risk to pollinators, beneficial arthropods, mammals or birds. The organism warning is product-specific. Tukes can impose restrictions on the use of a product to protect:
- pollinators, such as bees and bumblebees;
- beneficial arthropods, such as the ichneumon or Mesostigmata; and
- birds and mammals.
Bee warning protects pollinators
- If a product is detrimental to bees and bumblebees, flowering plants may only be treated after outside of the flying time of bees, between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m.
- Products that are highly toxic to bees and other pollinating insects may not be used to treat flowering plants at all.
- The use of all products within 60 m of beehives is prohibited without the consent of the beekeeper.
- The instructions can contain plant-specific additions to the bee warning.
- Bee warnings usually apply to products used to exterminate pest insects.
Beneficial organisms
- The sales packaging indicates how harmful the plant protection product is to beneficial arthropods.
- Beneficial organisms include ichneumon that parasitise pest insects, Mesostigmata that feed on pest insects and ladybirds, which eat aphids.
- Products intended for greenhouse use in particular indicate whether the product is compatible with biological pest control methods, such as ichneumon.
Birds and mammals can eat treated seed
