Reducing Pesticide Use in Honey Bee Colonies through Sound Sampling and Treatment Procedures

View the project final report

• 2006 annual report
• 2007 annual report
• 2008 annual report

Commodities

• Animals: bees

Practices

• Animal Production: parasite control
• Crop Production: application rate management
• Pest Management: economic threshold, prevention

The continuing, long-term goal of this research is to reduce the amount of pesticide use in honey bee colonies for the control of the parasitic mite, Varroa destructor. Most commercial beekeepers do not sample their colonies to determine if the mite levels have reached an economic threshold, and hence to determine whether to treat or not, which has led to the overuse of pesticides and the subsequent development of resistance by the mites to the chemicals. To foster more sustainable beekeeping practices, and in response to beekeeper demand, we propose the following objectives: Objective 1. Develop a simple and standardized sampling plan for commercial beekeepers to help them determine the economic treatment level for Varroa destructor mites (short-term outcome). Objective 2. Compare mite levels and economic thresholds between our line of bees bred for both Hygienic Behavior (HYG) and Suppression of Mite Reproduction (SMR) with an unselected, commercial line of bees (short-term outcome), to demonstrate that the use of resistant bees can reduce mite loads and thus, the frequency of pesticide application (intermediate-term outcome). Objective 3. Develop published guidelines for migratory beekeepers on making educated treatment decisions for the mite based on the sampling plan (intermediate- to long-term outcome). The North Central region of the US, particularly MN, ND and SD are the top honey producing states based on yield per colony, together producing over 30% of the total honey production for the nation. The reduction in pesticide use by beekeepers will increase the profitability of beekeeping, which is based on small and moderate-scale owner-operated farms, improve the quality of honey, a wholesome food product, and improve environmental quality by promoting honey bees, vital pollinators of our agro- and natural ecosystem.

Objective 1: Develop a simple and standardized sampling plan for commercial beekeepers to help them determine the economic treatment level for Varroa destructor mites in their bee colonies.

Objective 2. Compare the mite levels in our line of hybrid bees bred for both Hygienic Behavior (HYG) and Suppression of Mite Reproduction (SMR) with an unselected, commercial line of bees, to demonstrate that the use of resistant bees can reduce mite loads and thus, the frequency of pesticide application.

Objective 3. Begin to develop guidelines for beekeepers on making educated treatment decisions for the mite based on the sampling plan.