Lindsey Bickford: Save the lives of pollinators if we want to save our own

To The Daily Sun,

Ridding your home of mosquitos? Say goodbye to pollinators, too.

It's no coincidence that we've seen a decrease in monarchs and bees and an increase in Mosquito Squad and other pest control services. These pesticides don't discriminate. And while you may have chosen to forgo said pest-control, your neighbor's decision to spray can have an effect on your property too. There are several ways these pesticides effect pollinators.

Pollinators often carry or ingest pollen and nectar that's been contaminated. Even materials used for their nesting sites can be polluted. Monarch caterpillars directly feed on the leaves of the milkweed plant. Pesticide-ridden leaves will kill the caterpillar before it has a chance to turn into a beautiful butterfly.

Aside from the beauty of pollinators, they, of course, play a pivotal role in our food chain. You hear more and more about farmers being required to hand pollinate since there aren't enough bees around to do what nature intended. Pollinators are a crucial link in our food chain.

No one likes mosquitos, but there are plenty of other ways to keep yourself mosquito-free. Dilute and apply essential oils, try a wrist-worn mosquito bracelet, or wear a mesh cover. Over time, humans have proven to not always act in our own long-term best interest, choosing instant comfort and convenience instead. It's time to save the lives of these pollinators if we want to save our own.

Lindsey Bickford

Gilford