THE BEEKEEPER’S ROLE ENSURING HONEY BEE HEALTH ON WORKING AGRICULTURAL LANDS
Proactive communication between growers, applicators and beekeepers is essential to protect honey bees from unintended pesticide exposure. Beekeeper and landowner cooperation based on mutual interests is important to mitigate risks of pesticide exposure to pollinators.
Beekeeper Responsibilities Grower Responsibilities Maintain healthy, vigorous colonies-manage pests and diseases, provide supplemental feed when Always refer to the pesticide necessary. Follow best management practices label for application according to your State or provincial apiarist. requirements.
Contact state or provincial lead agency/extension offices to Review the managed pollinator understand state or provincial and local apiary regulations or protection (MP3) or other bee requirements. Review the managed pollinator protection plan health plans for the state or (MP3) or other bee health plans for the state or province province if available. if available. Work with beekeeper to Alert the local Mosquito Control office of the location of determine the best location to the apiary place the apiary.
Ensure that the apiary location has sufficient nutrition and a Abide by the agreement – fresh source of water. verbal or written.
Inform growers, neighboring landowners, and custom Protect water sources from applicators of apiary locations. contamination by pesticides of concern. Register apiary for notification program if available. Inform applicators of apiary Face hives away from fields and with buffered area between the locations, agreements and field and apiary when possible. pollinator friendly practices.
Post the beekeeper’s name and contact information near apiary. Notify the beekeeper as soon as possible before an Notify grower as soon as possible if any problems occur. application is planned. Report bee deaths so that causes can be addressed (see: http:// honeybeehealthcoalition.org/quick-guide/).
1 The Beekeeper’s Role - Ensuring Honey Bee Health on Working Agricultural Lands
When bees are placed for contracted crop pollination When bees are placed • Discuss landowner’s pest management program before agreement is made and on public or apiary is placed. private lands, • Identify any risks of pesticides being used not for and discuss best management practices to protect pollinators. contracted pollination • Always refer to the pesticide label Beekeepers and land for application requirements and to manager should consider the ensure compliance in the country of following steps: application. Check for “Bee Hazard” • Review the cropping system warnings and pollinator precautions in the and pest management Environmental Hazards statement and in practices before the apiary the directions for use on the label. is placed. Develop an agreement, preferably written, outlining the: • Determine the best location
1. Timing of crop bloom and desired pest treatments; to place the apiary.
2. Beekeeper’s responsibility to provide strong effective colonies;
3. Landowner’s responsibility to safeguard bees from poisoning;
4. Location for apiary placement on the land for access to pollinated crop, water, and buffer areas.
2 honeybeehealthcoalition.org