When controlling invasive ants, it's essential to consider the impact on beneficial pollinators, especially bees. As concerns grow around the environmental safety of pest control products, one question often arises: Can sugar-based baits harm bees? Thanks to recent research, we now have answers & one product standing out is Flora Gel.
Understanding the Risk: Why Bees Are a Concern
Most pest management programs rely on sugar-based attractants to lure ants. However, sugar is also known to attract bees, which raises concerns. If bees feed on ant bait that contains insecticide, it could lead to unintended bee deaths; an outcome no environmentally conscious pest controller wants.
To assess this risk, extensive field trials were conducted using different ant bait matrices, including Flora Gel from Polymer Innovations, with varying sugar concentrations. The goal was to determine whether bees were drawn to these products during their normal foraging behaviour.
What the Research Found
In a multi-year, multi-location CSIRO study, bees were exposed to Flora Gel bait matrices in a variety of realistic settings, including:
- Beside blooming clover in open fields
- Directly under bee flight paths
- Near active commercial bee hives
- During dry, flower-scarce periods
Despite these carefully crafted conditions designed to maximise chances of bee interaction, not a single bee was observed landing on, feeding from, or inspecting any Flora Gel matrix, even when the gel contained up to 50% sugar water. Instead, bees consistently chose to forage on nearby flowers, showing zero interest in the bait.
Why It Matters
This result has profound implications for pest control programs:
- Reduced non-target risk – Flora Gel doesn’t attract bees, making it safer to use in areas where pollinators are active.
- Confidence for regulators – With scientific evidence backing its bee-safe status, Flora Gel is suitable for broadscale use in ant eradication initiatives.
- Better environmental stewardship – Pest management doesn’t have to come at the expense of native or beneficial insect populations.
Flora Gel: A Practical Tool for Eco-Safe Ant Control
Flora Gel isn’t just bee-safe; it’s also easy to apply, water-storing, biodegradable & reusable. Its irregular hydrogel structure can be saturated with attractant solutions & distributed across targeted areas, offering a reliable delivery system for bait without endangering other wildlife. Used in eradication programs across Australia & the USA, Flora Gel is helping transform how pest managers think about environmental responsibility.
Bee health & pest control can coexist. The CSIRO-backed research confirms that Flora Gel poses minimal risk to bees, even when sugar is present in the matrix. For councils, land managers & pest control professionals seeking science-backed, low-risk solutions; Flora Gel is the smart, sustainable choice.
Get it now at: https://www.polymerinnovations.com.au//flora-gel.html
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