Pesticides & Honeybees

Importance of Honeybees

• Honeybees are the most important bee to agricultural crops. According to the University of Florida, honeybees are responsible for 85 percent of the pollination of crops that supply one-third or more of the United States' food supply. The value of the crops benefitting from beekeeping is estimated at between 10 and 20 times the value of the bees' production of honey and wax.

Foraging and Exposure

• Bees may travel as far as five miles from the colony foraging for pollen and nectar. Once they find a source, they will work it until the source is exhausted before moving on. Thus, one poisoned crop can destroy an entire hive's population of worker bees along with their family members who eat the pollen they collect.

Effects of Pesticides

• While some pesticides kill bees on contact, others kill slowly by contaminating the pollen. Poisoned bees may become stupefied, paralyzed or irritable and more prone to attack. Queens can be forced from the colony and superseded by another queen. One sure sign of pesticide kill is a large number of dead or dying bees near the entrance to the colony.

Precautions to Take

• In order to keep from poisoning bees, farmers and gardeners must do several things. Only use pesticides when needed. Yields can be more adversely affected by the lack of pollination than by the damage from insects. Waiting to spray when crops are not in bloom or are finished blooming is a good way to protect bees. Bees are workers, so they are most active from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Apply your pesticides before or after these times when bees are not active, preferably in the evening. Malathion and Sevin are the two home use pesticides most dangerous to honey bees. Using less toxic pesticides or gardening organically is the best way to prevent killing bees. If you must use toxic pesticides, and know of a beekeeper nearby, notify him when you will be applying pesticides so that he can protect his hives.