For those of you who are interested, I have received response information from DR.Jeff Harris from Mississippi State University. First I will introduce you to the bee team there. His response will be at the bottom.
>About Us
Honey Bee Extension and Research Program
Founded in 2012, the honey bee program is operated by Extension Professor Dr. Jeff Harris and his Research Associate, Audrey Sheridan. The main lab and offices are located in the Clay Lyle Entomology Building, just west of Sorority Row.
The program was developed through MSU?s Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology and Plant Pathology in response to the needs and requests of in-state beekeepers. Our mission is to produce high-quality and relevant honey bee research and to disseminate the most accurate information on bee management to beekeepers throughout the state of Mississippi. For more information about the research focus and extension services provided by our lab, click here.
Biographies
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Meet Dr. Jeff Harris.
I am the Extension/Research Apiculturist here at Mississippi State University. I moved to Mississippi after working for 15 years as a bee breeder with the USDA, ARS Honey Bee Breeding Lab in Baton Rouge, LA. I am best known for my involvement with other scientists in developing lines of honey bees that express high levels of Varroa Sensitive Hygienic (VSH) behavior. Prior to working with the government, I received my doctoral degree in insect physiology (Department of Zoology & Physiology) and my Master?s degree in entomology (Department of Entomology) from Louisiana State University.
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Meet Audrey Sheridan.
I have worked in honey bee research for nearly 13 years, beginning at Oklahoma State University with a Master?s in Entomology and continuing to Mississippi State, where I am a full-time Research and Extension Associate. My particular interest is in Small Hive Beetle behavior and control, but I am excited to dive into honey bee breeding with Dr. Harris! Educating the public about bees and beekeeping is one of my favorite aspects of the job, and interacting with the beekeeping community provides excellent ideas and direction for new research as well. <
Dear Mr. Hall,
My research associate, Audrey Sheridan, asked me to answer some questions for you. I have copied those questions from your email, and I answer each in paragraphs that follow.
Although I feel honored at such an invitation, I am apprehensive and cautious as I am completely Illiterate when it comes to this subject of the mix of honeybees, cotton, and soy beans. I very much would love to take advantage of the second nectar flow but have reservations. My main concern would be the survival of my bees 🐝 and the effect of herbicide and pest control.
Answer: You're concerns about placing bees in high ag environments is well founded. There is no such thing as zero risk from pesticide exposure in these areas, but you can mitigate the risk to some extent. However, there is always risk. Part of the mitigation is to place them as safely as possible to avoid drift of insecticides crops directly onto the hives (see question 3). The placement of your bees is your best protection, but knowing the farmer or grower and having a dialog about when and what chemicals are typically sprayed is also important. Many commercial beekeepers accept that they will almost certainly lose some foragers during spray events because both cotton and soybeans COULD be sprayed for insect pest control while the plants are in bloom. This risk is especially high in the Delta because the insect pest pressure is so high there. Both of these crops may be sprayed 6-8 times in a season in the Delta, and the same two crops may only be sprayed 0-2 times to control pests outside of the Delta in the hill country.
I know beekeepers who chose non-Delta ag areas to get summer honey on cotton and soybean. I also know commercial beekeepers who chose the Delta and are willing to assume the greater risk. It all depends on your stomach ? just how much risk are you willing to assume. You as the beekeeper must understand that you are assuming that risk ? so you need to educate yourself about which pesticides harm bees the most. For example, is the farmer/grower going to spray a foliar neonicotinoid? If so, this is a high risk situation for the bees because the acute toxicity of these chemicals is so high for bees. Perhaps the farmer can choose a less toxic chemical to control the same pest insect. If so, your risk is lower. Here?s what experience tells me ? your best protection from exposure to drifting insecticides is your initial placement of the bees on the farm because you are not likely to move the bees in the middle of the blooming period of the crop (some beekeeping protection guides suggest moving your bees away from the crop before a farmer applies insecticides and returning the bees after the application ? this simply is not economical or practical).
My second question is what are the best brand or varieties of both cotton and soybeans which are productive for nectar and honey.
Answer: There has been very little research conducted on this topic recently. However, I know of a study conducted here at MSU in which 15 different soybean varieties were examined for differences in bee preference and honey production (nectar secretion from flowers). The study essentially found no differences in varieties that were consistent across different regions of the state. It turns out that nectar secretion seems to vary with geographic location more than with variety grown. The soybeans grown in the Delta were more nectar producing than the same varieties planted in parts of the hill country. However, some areas in the hill country were very productive; others were not. It was difficult to predict which ones ? and my experience says that beekeepers often choose sites over several years through trial and error.
Can you please tell me how I can safely place my hives in such areas without the fear of eradication of these hives dealing with and coinciding with pesticide. I feel certain that this may be safely done as driving through the delta at certain times of year, honey bee apiaries are a common sight. Any help and advice will be greatly appreciated.
Answer: As state above ? there is always risk to your bees when they are placed in ag environments. However, many commercial beekeepers have found it profitable to produced a 90-120 pound soybean/cotton crop per colony in these areas. First strategy is to place your bees as far from field margins as possible. I would recommend 90-120 feet, and of course, the farther away the better. This distance can help prevent drift of insecticides from airplanes and reduce your chances of mass colony kill by direct acute toxicity (or exposure to the spray directly falling on hives). Second strategy would be to place the bees under a tree canopy. The trees can serve as an umbrella that protect the hives from drift. Third ? develop a relationship with the grower and have him or her warn you when highly toxic insecticides need to be used. You may not move your bees, but perhaps you can temporarily cover them to help reduce exposure. Alternatively, a healthy relationship with the grower may help you to lead him or her to use insecticides that are safer for bees. You can say, please do not use neonicotinoid foliar sprays if you do not have to do so. That kind of relationship does not develop overnight, and it may difficult for you to provide any input into choices of insecticides used. Unfortunately, the onus will be on you to protect your bees. You may need to ask your farmer to avoid tank mixes (these are more toxic to bees than sprays of a single insecticide). If the farmer finds your input or suggestions a hinderance to his production of a crop, you will likely be asked to leave and not come back. The farmers have the upper hand here because the crops they grow do not need your pollination service. The interpersonal dynamics change quite a bit when the grower NEEDS the bees to secure a crop.
I have said nothing about the possibility of chronic affects of insecticides on honey bees. Certainly, sub-lethal doses of insecticides could accumulate in colonies and trigger chronic health effects to the bees. These effects are not fully understood. All of that said, most commercial beekeepers feel like it is very profitable to seek a summer honey crop on soybean/cotton if they can best position their colonies to avoid direct hits from drifting insecticides. That is to say ? the primary concern of most beekeepers is to avoid acute toxicity to their bees from direct exposure to drifting insecticide. If they do that, they can yield a profit from the honey produced.
I hope this gives you a perspective that is helpful. I have attached a pesticide guide produced from the Pacific Northwest extension services in Oregon and Washington state. Although the crops grown are very different, the factors that protect bees are similar. It is lengthy, but some of the advice provided may be useful to you.
Sincerely,
Jeff Harris
Topic: Anyone Here Placing Bees Over Cotten Or Soybeans Crops This Year? (Read 1617 times)