What strategy can be used to reduce pesticide impact on pollinators?

Applying pesticides during the night is a viable strategy to reduce pesticide impact on pollinators. Many key pollinators, such as bees, are less active at night, which minimizes their exposure to the chemicals when they are less likely to be foraging for food. This practice allows for effective pest management while safeguarding the crucial roles that pollinators play in ecosystem health and agricultural productivity.

In contrast, increasing application rates can lead to higher concentrations of pesticides in the environment, elevating the risk to pollinators and other non-target species. Non-selective herbicides can harm a wide range of plant life, including those that provide food and habitat for pollinators, causing broader ecological impacts. Growing monoculture crops can reduce biodiversity in agricultural systems, which can lead to weakened ecosystems and less resilience for pollinators that rely on a variety of plant sources for sustenance.