Neonicotinoids are extremely toxic to invertebrates and have been shown to have detrimental impacts on aquatic systems. Recent proposals to use imidacloprid in salmon-farming in Scotland has caused great concern, and Dave Goulson discusses the implications of this proposal and calls for the need for us to learn from past experiences.
Most people have heard of neonicotinoids, even if they cannot pronounce the name. These neurotoxic insecticides were widely used in farming across Europe from the mid-1990s onwards, but became notorious as evidence grew that they were killing bees.