To the Editor:

Despite their small size, bees play a massive role in our society. They pollinate 90 percent of our wildflowers and 75 percent of our crops. Yet, despite the insects’ keystone importance to our ecosystems, beekeepers of Massachusetts are reporting up to 45 percent colony loss year-over-year.

Numerous human activities contribute to this concerningly high number - habitat destruction, rapid growth of pesticides, the list goes on. Of these, neonicotinoid-coated seeds take the cake. As one might imagine, they are seeds that come coated in neonics, a neurotoxic pesticide.

In the thirty years since their introduction, there has been no solid evidence that these pesticides actually improve crop yields. To add insult to injury, neonics also poison pollinators and contaminate our water. If they’re not beneficial to farmers, and harmful to our ecosystem, why are we still using them?

Whether the answer is habit or a lack of other options, the solution is simple. We must urge Gov. Healey to follow in the footsteps of Governors Hochul of New York and Scott of Vermont and limit neonicotinoids only to farmers who have demonstrated an active need for them so that we can revitalize our ecosystem and our landscapes to allow bees to thrive once again.

We are indebted to bees for their continuous service. Let’s return the favor to our fuzzy flying friends by restricting neonics in Massachusetts and ensuring they can live and pollinate safely.

Vee Villamar
The writer is a student at UMass Boston and the treasurer of MassPIRG.