July 2023 issue

Volume 68, Issue 7

Neonicotinoids are the most widely used class of insecticides, used primarily as seed coatings in agricultural crops, but also on lawns, gardens, golf courses, and in flea and tick pet treatment. A major concern with the use of neonicotinoid insecticides is their effect on non-target species, such as honeybees and other beneficial insects. One recent study in the Journal of Environmental Quality explored the impacts of “floating treatment wetlands” on neonicotinoid and nitrate mixture removal.

Cover photo: Dr. Tiffany Messer (left), who led the research, along with graduate student Emily Nottingham investigating the root structure of a floating treatment wetland in a greenhouse. Photo by Matthew Barton, University of Kentucky College of Agriculture Food and Environment. See story on page 3.