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Serious question: Are pesticides really all that bad?
I was looking up what happened to all the ash wood--even MLB bats aren't made from ash anymore, they're made with maple, which is harder and makes balls fly farther, which helped turn the game into nothing but homers, walks and strikeouts.
Anyway, turns out it's apparently due to a pest called the emerald ash borer, which is ruining all the ash trees.
I thought "can't that be fixed with pesticides?" And then I remembered I hear both views from both sides on them: some say they're good because they end pests, others say they poison us when we eat fruits and vegetables and that we should eat "organic" for this reason. I just thought "organic" was a buzzword at this point, its definition had become so vague due to getting around labeling laws--for crying out loud, technically all food is organic because it came from a living organism!
Which leads me to here. I'd like the truth on this. I'm tired of getting conflicting information.
Here are the natural enemies of the emerald ash borer if you are interested in using a natural healthy alternative to poison: The emerald ash borer (EAB) has several natural enemies that play a crucial role in its biological control. These natural enemies are:
Woodpeckers: Native woodpeckers, such as the downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, and red-bellied woodpecker, are primary predators of EAB larvae. They feed on EAB larvae in the fall and winter, contributing to EAB mortality. Parasitoid Wasps: Several species of native parasitoid wasps, including: Atanycolus species (e.g., Atanycolus cappaerti) Phasgonophora sulcata Leluthia astigmata Balcha indica (introduced from Asia) Other Atanycolus species (e.g., Atanycolus spp.) Parasitoids lay eggs on or inside EAB larvae, and the larvae feed on the EAB, eventually killing it. Native Predators: Other native predators, such as beetles and flies, may also feed on EAB larvae, although their impact is less well-documented. Key Characteristics
Woodpeckers primarily feed on EAB larvae in the fall and winter. Parasitoid wasps lay eggs on or inside EAB larvae, and the larvae feed on the EAB, eventually killing it. Native predators may feed on EAB larvae, although their impact is less well-documented.
Not one or the other. Chemicals can kill. That includes humans. Roundup, atrazine, etc. without any deep research pause and ask - if it’s used to kill a life form, will it harm me since I’m alive?
The emerald ash borer is invasive, not native to North America. Normal predators seem to be lacking that are present to keep it in check in Asia. Nature will balance things out and it seems in North America the ash has been declining.
No expert here, just my two cents. Also…
u/#q1010
We have them where I live, the ash borer, it has split one huge tree, and a few others show signs of infestation. I am trying to find someone to cut the trees down and block and split it for me, it does make great fire wood. I do not use pesticides that harm pollinators, and almost all of them do, even the natural organic ones mess up the bees. I have a huge pollinator garden and my son will be learning and building a small apiary next summer. You can hear my garden buzzing from late May through September. I also know that many pesticides really harm the chain of insects, right down to the birds who eat the bugs that are dying and easy to catch. Obviously I do not spray anything that I eat, I rely on beneficial insects to balance it out. Growing your own food relies on pollination, no pollination, no fruit trees, or berries, no winter squash or tomatos or potatos or onions or any other flowering food source, you could grow carrots I suppose.