Life can’t function without insects. At least, not for long. They pollinate, break down waste, cycle nutrients, and touch every node in the web of life, filling endless niches across the planet. As global temperatures continue to rise, some of Earth’s most important but overlooked pollinators, the flies, may be at greater risk than previously […]
Tag: pesticides
UK to ban bee-killing pesticides but highly toxic type could still be allowed
Bee-killing pesticides are to be banned by the UK government, as ministers set out plans to outlaw the use of neonicotinoids. However, the highly toxic neonicotinoid Cruiser SB could be allowed for use next year, as ministers are considering applications from the National Farmers’ Union and British Sugar. This powerful pesticide poisons bees by destroying […]
Social Media Could Boost Wildlife Conservation Efforts for Small Mammal Species, Experts Say
Photos of wildlife on social media have the power to boost conservation by depicting predators not only as beautiful, but as similar to domestic pets. A new study has found that, through their millions of followers, Instagram and Facebook can steer public engagement and awareness toward support for predators like wildcats, who are sometimes shot […]
Hedgehogs ‘near threatened’ on red list after 30% decline over past decade
Hedgehogs are now listed as “near threatened” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s red list after a decline in numbers of at least 30% over the past decade across much of their range. While hedgehogs were once common across Europe, and were until now listed as of “least concern” on the red list, […]
Climate change and agrochemicals pose lethal combo for Amazonian fish
Among the labs of Brazil’s National Institute of Amazonian Research, or INPA, is what’s known as the “room of the future.” Here, an extreme climate change scenario is being simulated according to projections by the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The temperature is around 5° Celsius (9° Fahrenheit) hotter than the average […]
Report exposes meatpackers’ role in recent chemical deforestation in Brazil
A recent investigation has uncovered new significant links between Brazil’s top meatpackers — JBS, Marfrig and Minerva — and widespread environmental destruction in the Pantanal wetlands, the Amazon Rainforest, and the Cerrado savanna. The investigation, part of Mighty Earth’s Rapid Response deforestation monitoring program in partnership with Brazilian news outlet Repórter Brasil and sustainability NGO […]
7 Ways to Attract Beneficial Insects & Animals to the Garden
An important part of creating a healthy, organic garden space is supporting a well-balanced ecosystem. That can’t be done with the use of pesticides and other biocides because they, by design, create imbalance. There are insects and small animals that feed on unwelcomed garden visitors like aphids and slugs, so if there are no aphids […]
Empire of the ants: what insect supercolonies can teach us
It is a familiar story: a small group of animals living in a wooded grassland begin, against all odds, to populate Earth. At first, they occupy a specific ecological place in the landscape, kept in check by other species. Then something changes. The animals find a way to travel to new places. They learn to […]