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Penn State Advice for Protecting Bees - June 2007

June 19, 2007

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – In the midst of one of the most alarming die-off of honey bees ever documented, Penn State Entomology Extension offers advice for beekeepers and growers of bee pollinated crops.

The recent die-off of more than a quarter of the country’s 2.4 million bee colonies has left many beekeepers devastated and growers wondering how they will pollinate their crops this season. The affliction, called Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), was first discovered in November 2006 after a Pennsylvania beekeeper reported that more than 50 percent of his bee colonies he was overwintering in Florida had collapsed, meaning that the tens of thousands of bees that are supposed to be in each hive had simply disappeared. "Since the beginning of the year, beekeepers from all over the country have been reporting unprecedented losses,” said Maryann Frazier, apiculture extension associate in entomology at Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences.

According to Frazier, symptoms of CCD include the sudden reduction or disappearance of the adult bee population without evidence of dead bees. “The hive will contain brood pollen and honey, with little evidence of robbing, wax moth or small hive beetle attack.”

Researchers from Penn State, other universities, government agencies and other institutions formed the CCD working group to determine what factors are responsible for these unprecedented colony losses. The cause of CCD is still largely a mystery with several factors such as a compromised immune system, poor nutrition, parasites, new viral or fungal diseases and chemical contamination being investigated. Researchers have collected samples in several states and have begun doing bee autopsies, chemical, and genetic analysis and say that a definitive answer for CCD could be months away

Until there are answers, Frazier recommends a precautionary strategy on the part of beekeepers and growers in need of pollination services to reduce bee exposure to parasites, diseases and chemicals.

“Chemicals include those being used within the hive for mite and disease control as well as pesticides used on crops that may inadvertently find their way into hives,” Frazier explains.
• Know the pesticides you are using and their toxicity to bees (do not depend on a third party to provide this information).
• Read the pesticide label and follow label directions.
• Never use a pesticide pre-bloom, just before bees are brought in to pollinate. If a pesticide must be used, select one that has a lower toxicity to bees and apply only when bees are not foraging, preferably late evening.
• Do not apply pesticides post-bloom until after the bees have been removed from the crop.
• Avoid applications on a non-blooming crop if there is a risk of drift onto blooming crops and weeds while bees are in the area. If a spray must be applied, use the least toxic materials and apply when bees are not foraging.
• In the pre-bloom period, avoid the use of pesticides that are long-lived in or on the plant, such as some of the systemic pesticides.
• Protect water sources from contamination of pesticides. Provide bees a clean source of water close to colony locations.

Frazier says growers should be prepared to cope with a potential shortage of pollination services and plan well ahead. "If growers have an existing contract or relationship with a beekeeper, they should contact that beekeeper as soon as possible to ascertain if the colonies they are counting on will be available," she advises.

For more information on honey bees and CCD, visit the Mid-Atlantic Apiculture Research and Extension Consortium Web site at http://www.ento.psu.edu/MAAREC/ColonyCollapseDisorder.html. You may also contact Frazier at (814) 865 4621 or e-mail mxt15@psu.edu.

Established in 1963, Penn State’s Department of Entomology has grown into a well-balanced department providing undergraduate education, graduate student training and extension outreach education focusing on both domestic and international issues. Twenty faculty and more than thirty graduate students work on a variety of research topics providing insights into insect ecology, behavior and molecular biology as well as integrated pest management. The department is part of Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences. For more information about solving insect problems, descriptions of research and education programs or admission to the graduate program, visit Web site at http://www.ento.psu.edu/ or contact the department at (814) 865-1895.