Beekeeping For Political agement. It is important that decision mak- adopt organic, -friendly practices Host an event. Gather together with local Change: ers understand that pesticide use in these and also forgo purchasing or applying neo- or state organizations and com- As a beekeeper, you have a vested interest in areas is detrimental to . Pollinator- nicotinoid pesticides. Contact Beyond Pesti- munity leaders to host an event featuring local or federal policies that affect your hive, friendly landscapes can provide year-round cides for assistance in drafting a policy and the importance of bees. You could present policies on pesticide use and habitat man- habitat for and require minimal working to get it passed. an introduction on becoming a beekeeper, agement. Many beekeepers are not aware disturbance. They also significantly reduce invite experts from nearby universities to that they are a special stakeholder in cur- mowing and maintenance costs to munici- Getting Your Message in the talk about the need for pollinators, and pro- rent pollinator protection policies and action palities and states. Additionally, if you live Media: vide an overview of the threats to bees with occurring around the globe. In fact, several in an agricultural region, ensure that your Until the Model Community Pollinator Reso- a question and answer session. Observation beekeepers and beekeeping organizations area has a conservation reserve program. lution is passed in your community, it is up hives and extractions are a great ways were invited to the White House to discuss This is a federal program aimed at provid- to beekeepers and concerned citizens to to introduce children to the issue and make pollinator strategies. The type of policy re- ing havens for pollinators in areas with high educate local leaders on the importance of it a family event. form that beekeepers can advocate depends agricultural pressures. Contact your local adopting pollinator friendly practices. There upon a number of factors, but the most im- USDA office to ensure that habitat is being are a number ways beekeepers can put the Start a Website. Keep a blog on Wordpress portant is getting involved. provided. See also Beyond Pesticides’ page pressure on community leaders to enact or through Google Sites that can act as a fo- on managing landscapes with pollinators necessary changes. cal point for education and outreach in your Get involved in your local in mind for additional recommendations: community. Also consider starting a Face- Beekeeping Organization: http://bit.ly/PollinatorLandscapes. The press loves bees, and people in book, Twitter, or petition through a site like Enact Local Beekeeping Policies. Whether outfits. Gather the science and the data you change.org to direct social media action to you’re a novice or veteran beekeeper, you’ll Pass a Pesticide-Free Policy. Beekeepers need (you can use beeprotective.org for elected officials. want to get involved. In many areas, past have a unique voice to lend to this discus- materials), put on your suit, and make a call misperceptions about bees spurred zoning sion, and can bolster efforts by residents that to community newspapers. Don’t forget to Reach Out. Broaden your coalition to as restrictions on where or how many hives are are simply concerned about the decline of make sure your many people as you allowed on certain properties. Check with honey bees. Passing the BEE Protective cam- hive is ready can get involved in your local government or state beekeep- paign’s Model Community Pollinator Resolu- for its close up! the cause. Talk to ing organization for details. If your locality tion (http://bit.ly/modelBEEpolicy) means Pictures of you local environmental doesn’t allow beekeeping, it’s time for policy that your community recognizes the impor- with your hive groups and sym- change. Engage your local elected officials to tance of honey bees and other wild pollina- in your bee suit pathetic local gov- work on passing new beekeeping policies or tors. To that end, it institutes protections for and a full frame ernment agencies, repeal outdated bee restrictions. these critical species by halting the purchase covered with like nature centers and use of neonicotinoid pesticides in your bees can make and parks. And of Create and Support Pollinator Habitat Ini- community. The resolution also contains an a big impres- course don’t hesi- tiatives. Once beekeeping policies are in educational component that encourages pri- sion on resi- tate to reach out to place allowing local beekeeping, the next vate citizens and the broader community to dents and deci- state and national step is ensuring that native pol- sion makers. groups like Beyond linator forage and habitat are available in your community. Pol- linator habitat has the dual benefit Talking Up the Science and the Facts About Bee Declines of improving in nearby The science behind the link between neonicotinoid pesticides and and other farms, gardens, and wildlife habi- wild pollinator declines has become increasingly clear. Authoritative studies continue to tat. Not only are local gardens and find that these insecticides, either acting individually or synergistically, have both acute parks ideal to plant native pollina- and sublethal chronic impacts on honey bees which affect their immune system function- tor friendly flower and grasses, ing, behavior, navigation, and colony longevity. This is especially important because bees but also areas along roadways and contribute $15 billion annually to the U.S. economy and are responsible for 1 in 3 bites other transportation rights-of-way. of food. Bees can become exposed to these chemicals through direct contact from home Encourage your neighbors, home- or commercial pesticide applicators, contaminated guttation (dew) droplets, , and owner’s association (HOA), or local nectar (even on so called bee-friendly garden plants pre-poisoned by big box department city government to include pollina- stores and nurseries) and in agricultural areas through contaminated field dust from tor habitat in their landscape man- The Beyond Pesticides . neonic-coated seeds. Pesticides, who can provide educational -ma about the type of pesticide applied and the terials and additional organizing strategies to manner and location in which it was applied help move your efforts forward. (backpack, truck, aerial, etc), and details about the pesticide applicator involved, such Enforcement: as organizational affiliation. If you know of Pesticides can impair bee colonies through a lab that tests pesticide residues, or even both acute and chronic impacts. Signs of an if you don’t, freeze both dead and dying, acute bee kill –large numbers of dead or dy- twitching bees for sampling. Write all of this ing, twitching bees outside the hive or sud- information down, and include a history of den drops in hive population– will energize the hive and its health to provide to state anyone concerned about pollinator health. agency investigators. Make sure witnesses and those familiar with the hive are present Reporting. Beekeepers must act quickly when investigators arrive on the scene. to report a bee kill to their state pesticide control agency, which is responsible for en- In 2013, EPA released new label guidelines forcing U.S. pesticide law. Regional EPA- of for pesticides; however, these measures fices and EPA Headquarters should also be have been widely criticized by beekeepers contacted to let and environmental Beekeeping Policies the agency know groups as not going you’ve reported far enough. Effective Advocacy information for backyard and this incident to protection of honey commercial beekeepers state officials. bees will not be ob- If you know the tained through regu- eekeepers are facing numerous challenges in raising healthy bees. pesticide asso- lations for labels that From widespread pesticide use to loss of habitat, the survival of ciated with the are often not read, bees and beekeeping is increasingly under threat. kill, report that allow the use of older B information to labels, and continue Both commercial and backyard beekeepers must be wary of a wide range the manufac- to permit neonic- of issues surrounding their hive(s). turer. Contact otinoid applications, local, state, and despite data showing Beekeepers must: regional bee- that the chemicals im- • Avoid nontarget pesticide exposure. This involves moving hives if keeping orga- pact bees at infinitesi- pesticides are a to be sprayed; nizations, which should be able to assist in mally low levels. Efforts are moving forward • Have safe and plentiful food and forage for their hive, and; responding to your bee kill. in Congress to pass the Saving America’s Pol- • Manage relationships between neighbors, , and government linators Act, which would prohibit the use officials. Data Collection. Gather as much informa- of neonicotinoid insecticides for two years tion as soon as possible after a bee kill -oc while additional studies are conducted. Real Beyond Pesticides works with beekeepers, both small and large, to ad- curs. Data to collect includes photos, videos, change must come from the grassroots, and vance policy changes at the local and state level to prevent acute and the date and time, weather conditions such beekeepers can play a special role as advo- chronic bee die-offs, and increase pollinator-friendly habitat. In the as wind direction, speed, temperature and cates, sharing concerns and from experience absence of adequate federal policy to protect managed honey bees, humidity at the time of the kill, information that matter. beekeepers have an important voice in protecting critical beneficial pollinators. Contact Info for Pesticide Emergencies: State Pesticide Regulatory Agency: http://bit.ly/BPstates Regional EPA: http://bit.ly/EPAregions State and Local Beekeeping Organization Contacts: http://bit.ly/beesources Report Via Email: [email protected] BEYOND PESTICIDES (Please CC Beyond Pesticides: [email protected]) 701 E Street SE, Washington DC, 20003 Report Via National Pesticide Information Center: http://pi.ace.orst.edu/erep 202-543-5450/[email protected] www.beyondpesticides.org