FROM THE SCIENTIFIC FIELD

Minimizing The Risk Of Pesticides For Honey Bees And Other Pollinators

By Luis Rodriguez, small farms and pesticide education agent, UF/IFAS Extension Polk County

Pesticides are an important part of any farmer’s Integrated Pest Management to maintain low pest population and avoid economical losses. It is important that all pesticide applications are executed following label instructions to minimize pollution and unnecessary harm to living organisms. Among these living organisms are bees and other pollinators. Pollinators are organisms that help in the reproduction of plants transporting pollen from flower to flower. Some birds and mammals are considered pollinators, but arthropods, especially insects, are credited the most for pollination.

The Importance Of The Western Honey Bee

The Western honey bee (Apis mellifera) is extremely important for agriculture. This insect is credited with approximately 85% of the pollination of all crops in the world. For example, in Florida, honeybees help in the pollination process of strawberries, watermelons, blueberries, and other important crops of the state. It is important to point out that without the honey bees, agriculture as we know it would be different and probably more difficult.

Strategies To Protect The Western Honey Bee And Other Pollinators From Pesticides

Pesticides, when used according to label instructions, should represent a low risk to the environment and living organisms. Regardless, it is a good practice to take extra precautions to protect pollinators and the Western honeybee when using these chemicals. Some of these precautions are as follows:

• Localize beekeepers near the application areas and notify them of future pesticide applications – Consult the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services-Division of Plant Industry to localize registered beekeepers near your area of application.

• Use pesticides only when needed – Pesticides should only be applied if needed. For example, do a pesticide application only when plants are infested with pests, to avoid unnecessary risk to bees and other pollinators.

• Know pollinator behaviors – Bees and other pollinators are more active during the day between 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Furthermore, always be conscious of longer days and shorter days. When possible, make pesticide applications during the night or early morning to avoid pesticide exposure to bees and other polli- nators. Honey bees will fly when the temperature is above 55 to 60 degrees. It is always good to verify for bee activity before any pesticide application.

• Avoid water contamination – As with any other living organisms, bees require water to survive. They use water to feed their brood and cool the hive. Contaminated water will create an unnecessary risk to bees and other pollinators.

• Avoid spraying pesticides on attractant flower plants – Plants with flowers will attract bees on them, especially with yellow, white, and purple-blue flowers. It is important to avoid the use of insecticides on flower plants before and during blooming. Also, be conscious of adjacent plants with attractant flowers where pollinators may be present.

• Beware of pesticide interactions – Some pesticides can be mixed and applied together. This can help the farmer save money during applications. On the other hand, some pesticide mixtures can be more toxic to bees and other pollinators when mixed. For example, when propiconazole is mixed with pyrethroid insecticides, it may increase the toxicity to bees.

• Know your pesticide – Some chemicals, such as neonics pesticides, are very harmful to bees. There are pesticides that have pollinator warnings on their labels, to indicate the possible threat to bees and other pollinators. If possible, it is recommended to avoid the use of such pesticides.

Bees and pollinators are very important for plant reproduction. Without these organisms, it will be very difficult to produce crops the way we do today. We should always keep in mind bees and other pollinators when applying chemicals to crops to avoid unnecessary pesticide exposure among them.

For more information about pollinators and bees please access these “Ask IFAS” publications (https:// edis.ifas.ufl.edu/) and look under “Minimizing Honey Bee Exposure to Pesticides.”

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