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

• Protection instructions concerning birds and mammals apply to treated seed.
  For example, the sales packaging can state:

  • The plant protection product is highly toxic to birds and mammals, treated seed must be covered carefully with soil when sown.
  • Excess seed may not be stored within reach of birds or mammals.
  • Treated seed entering the environment by accident must be removed to protect birds and wild mammals.