BERTHOUD, Colo. — A Colorado law limiting the sale of certain pesticides called neonicotinoids, which are known to kill pollinators, took effect on July 1.
“It's what we call a systemic pesticide, which means that it is something that suffuses throughout the tissues of a plant," said Yarger. “That's what a systemic chemical pesticide does, it's not just confined to where you apply it. It actually goes through the flowers and the roots and all like that... Pollinators, when they gather nectar and pollen, they are gathering part of the plant...
On an idyllic piece of property in Berthoud, Beth Conrey tends to her honey bees every day, as she has done for the last 25 years. “They're quite catastrophic, and the catastrophe is well documented at this point," said Conrey. “Insects and soil health are the cornerstones of our environment. And so, even if you hate bees, bees are really important.”