Imidacloprid (a neonicotinoid) molecule. Computer artwork showing the molecular structure of imidacloprid. Imidacloprid is a neonicotinoid,a class of neuro-active insecticides chemically similar to nicotine. Imidacloprid is the most widely used insecticide in the world. Neonicotinoids have been linked to adverse ecological effects,including honey-bee colony collapse disorder,and loss of birds,due to a reduction in insect populations. Atoms are represented as spheres: carbon (light-blue),chlorine (green),hydrogen (white),nitrogen (dark-blue),oxygen (red),and bonds between the atoms by cylinders |