Pesticides, People & Honey Bees

general term to kill pests PESTICIDE – general term to kill pests INSECTICIDE-bees are insects FUNGICIDE HERBICIDE

PESTICIDE LABEL INFO Toxicity *User *Pest

CAUTION WARNING DANGER

Rate / Direction Pests Controlled Effects on Beneficials Other Information

Dry Forms Emulsions True Solutions Inert Solutions Spray Additives FORMULATIONS Dry Forms Emulsions True Solutions Inert Solutions Spray Additives

RISK = TOXICITY X EXPOSURE

BEES AND TOXICITY

What Do Bees Bring Into The Hive? * POLLEN * NECTAR *PROPOLIS *PESTICIDES

TOXICITY * Acute Death * Chronic Long-Term

LD50 .5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 10 10 10 10 10

Now What Is The Safe Dosage? * Look for chronic effects * 1000x lower *Effectiveness @ lower rate *Risk: Benefit level * Not totally safe. Why?

Bees Like Other Organisms Have Systems To Breakdown * Pesticides * Phytotoxins

The Inventory Of Enzymes For Breakdown (Detox) Honey Bees Have Only About 1/3 To 1/2 The Inventory Of Enzymes For Breakdown (Detox) As Other Insects

*Propolis – Antimicrobial -Activates Immune Genes Gene To Produce “Detoxins” Must Be Activated *P - Coumaric Acid *Propolis – Antimicrobial -Activates Immune Genes *Others

*Capacity to detox chemicals reduced under cold conditions The idea is to keep bees healthy to detoxify harmful compounds they are exposed to in the environment. *Capacity to detox chemicals reduced under cold conditions

SUBLETHAL EFFECTS OF PESTICIDES ON BEES

BEHAVIORAL DISTURBANCES * Disorientation in returning to the hive * Impaired memory & learning * Delayed development of brood * Decreased foraging activity * Increased susceptibility to pests

Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) Cause: Unknown Thoughts: Combination or pests, pathogens, pesticides, environment and other related factors.

How Do Producers & Beekeepers Help Protect Bees? * Better Pesticide Usage * Timing of application * Choice of pesticides * Knowing where hives are * Locating the apiary * Cooperation together

Pesticides, People & Honey Bees