neonicotinoid

From neo- +‎ nicotinoid.

neonicotinoid (plural neonicotinoids)

1. (organic chemistry) Any of a certain class of insecticides that act on the central nervous system in a similar way to nicotine.

   Synonym: (clipping) neonic

   • 2015 November 24, Patrick Barkham, “Pesticide may be reason butterfly numbers are falling in UK, says study”, in The Guardian‎:

     Neonicotinoids may be contributing towards the disappearance of butterflies from the countryside, according to the first scientific study to examine the effect of the controversial agricultural pesticides on British butterflies.

   • 2019 February 10, Damian Carrington, “Plummeting insect numbers 'threaten collapse of nature'”, in The Guardian‎:

     He thinks new classes of insecticides introduced in the last 20 years, including neonicotinoids and fipronil, have been particularly damaging as they are used routinely and persist in the environment: “They sterilise the soil, killing all the grubs.”