As of January 1, 2025, pesticides containing neonicotinoids will not be available for sale in retail nurseries and garden centers in the state of California. In addition, this group of pesticides cannot be possessed or used by unlicensed applicators. They can be sold only at licensed pest control dealers and applied only by certified, trained pest control professionals. As a result, they will no longer be available to home gardeners for outdoor non-agricultural purposes.
What are Neonicotinoids?
Neonicotinoids are a class of synthetic neuroactive insecticides which permanently bind to the nerve cells of insects. Exposed insects often exhibit uncontrollable shaking, followed by paralysis before ultimately dying. Commonly called “neonics,” they were developed in the mid-1990s, becoming widely used on agricultural crops, lawns, gardens, golf courses, and in veterinary flea and tick pet treatments.
Home gardeners used neonicotinoid products to help control sucking insects like aphids, scales, and whiteflies from damaging trees such as crape myrtle and citrus. Almost 150 pesticide products containing neonic ingredients are registered in California. The most common neonic is imidacloprid, but there are others including acetamiprid, clothianidin, dinotefuran, and thiamethoxam. Neonics are found in products like Bayer's Bioadvanced 12 Month Tree & Shrub Protect & Feed, Bonide Systemic Houseplant Insect Control, and Ortho Flower, Fruit & Vegetable Insect Killer.
The new law does not apply to indoor neonicotinoid pesticide products such as ant baits or veterinary products such as flea and tick treatments for pets.
Why Are Neonicotinoids Banned?
Neonicotinoids is a broad-based pesticide that does not discriminate between insects that cause plant damage and beneficial ones including important pollinators such as bees and butterflies.
Neonics are systemic, highly water-soluble pesticides which are usually applied to the soil and absorbed by growing plants from their roots, moving throughout the plant; the coating on seeds also absorbs the chemical. All parts of the plant thus contain the chemical, including its nectar, pollen, leaves, stems, and fruit. Once in the soil, they can travel long distances, including being transported into aquifers and waterways, possibly affecting wildlife in rivers, streams and wetlands, and can remain active for years.
An assessment by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in May 2023 concluded widespread use of neonicotinoids has adversely affected the majority of federally listed endangered/threatened species and critical habitats (https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2023-05/ESA-JAM-Analysis.pdf). They have been linked to the serious decline in pollinators such as honeybees, native bees, and butterflies, as well as birds in recent years, possibly driving many species towards extinction.
The European Union, Canada, and several USA states including Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, New Jersey, Washington have already banned or restricted neonicotinoids for non-agricultural uses. Other countries and states are reviewing controlling the use of neonicotinoids.
Do Home Gardeners Have Alternatives to Neonicotinoids?
If you still wish to use a neonicotinoid pesticide in your garden, you can contact a licensed pest control professional. If you want to find an alternative pesticide that is available to home gardeners, there are choices. While the solutions may not be quite as effective as a neonicotinoid pesticide, they should help manage your specific pest(s) and not be as harmful to the environment or pollinators.
If you know what pest is the cause of your problem, refer to the UC Integrated Pest Management (UC IPM) Home, Garden, Turf and Landscape Pest website for potential solutions. Note that since this is a new law, be aware UC IPM may not have updated this website and still be listing neonicotinoids: https://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/menu.homegarden.html?src=302-www&fr=3723
If you can't identify the pest affecting your plant's health, contact your local UC Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners. Our Help Line answers calls from Stanislaus County residents* Wednesdays from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Our number is (209) 525-6802. If you call outside of these hours, someone will get back to you within a few business days. You can also ask a question by filling out this online form http://ucanr.edu/ask/ucmgstanislaus
To safely dispose of unused neonicotinoids, contact Stanislaus County's Household Hazardous Waste Program: https://www.stancounty.com/er/hazmat/household-hazardous-waste.shtm
References
California state notice of new pesticide law: https://www.cdpr.ca.gov/docs/pressrls/2024/100124.htm
UC ANR Pests in the Urban Landscape information on Neonicotinoids Purchases in 2025: https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=60986
Understanding neonicotinoids: https://xerces.org/pesticides/understanding-neonicotinoids
Neonicotinoids effects: https://www.nrdc.org/stories/neonicotinoids-101-effects-humans-and-bees
Neonicotinoids effects on species: https://www.nrdc.org/bio/lucas-rhoads/epa-neonics-likely-driving-200-species-toward-extinction
Denise Godbout-Avant has been a UC Master Gardener in Stanislaus County since 2020
*If you don't live in Stanislaus County, but are in California, use this link to find your local program https://mg.ucanr.edu/volunteer/FindUs/ For other states, look up your local cooperative extension office online.
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