Flower -rich field edges are not such a success as thought. Although they attract all kinds of insects, they are on dangerous terrain. This is the conclusion of research by, among other things, measuring = knowing. On some of the flowers it appears that pesticides that are bad for bees, for example.
Eleven flower strips were investigated in the research. “It’s a sample,” says researcher Margriet Mantingh. “But it does give a clear picture.” 41 different pesticides have been found in those strips, and they are bad for insects. “We often see that they die, but also that their behavior is changing or that they no longer reproduce.”
And that’s a shame. Because a few years ago, farmers were encouraged by the government to sow flower mixtures on the field edges. Because those flowers attract insects that ensure natural crop protection. For example, they eat small insects that threaten the crops on the fields. They also provide a buffer between the country and the ditch, so that crop protection products do not end up in the ditch water.
According to the researchers, the solution is not difficult. “Look better where you sow flower mixtures. For example, on fields that are managed organic, or on pieces of land where no pesticides are used,” says Zantingh. That means that farmers with onions or potatoes look a lot less colorful.