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October 4, 2013
Background
Thousands
of dead and twitching bees were found near honey bee colonies in a
suburb of Minneapolis on September 12. Researchers at Minnesota's
Department of Agriculture and the University of Minnesota's Bee Lab and
Bee Squad have just reported that residues of fipronil were found in
the dead bees. The state is investigating the incident and working to
determine how the bees were exposed to fipronil residues.
This
incident follows on the heels of another occurrence this summer, in
which 25,000-50,000 bumblebees and other insects were killed in Oregon
after exposure to dinotefuran, a commonly used neonicotinoid. In that
case, a property maintenance contractor applied the pesticide to 55
flowering linden trees in an effort to control aphids. As a result, the
state of Oregon enacted a temporary ban on the use of many
dinotefuran-based insecticides. (See complete list here)
The Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) will reassess the temporary
restriction after officials finish their investigation into the
pesticide applications in question. The temporary ban only affects
certain pesticide uses that could harm pollinators, including outdoor
applications on lawns, landscape ornamentals, trees and crops.
The
health of pollinators has received unprecedented attention in recent
months, even garnering a cover story on the August 19th issue of Time magazine, and
corresponding live Twitter chat on the subject, featuring guests from
the EPA, USDA and author of The Beekeeper's Lament, Hannah Nordhaus.
Recommendations
Many of
the products that are applied by professional applicators have the
potential to be toxic to bees when exposed to direct treatment or
residues on plants in bloom, including crops, ornamental plants or
weeds. Such products should not be applied when bees are visiting
or expected to visit the treatment area, or if the applied product may
drift outside the treatment area. By limiting the direct and potential
exposure of pollinators to pesticides, pest management professionals
can reduce the likelihood of similar events in the future and
beneficial organisms like bees can be protected. It is very
important that the applicator know the potential toxicity to bees for
the products they are planning to apply. Also, the
applicator should always read, understand and follow labels in their
entirety, including the environmental hazard and precautionary
statements, prior to product application. This information should
be reinforced immediately to all service technicians.
NPMA Statement on Pollinator Health
Pollinators
play an essential role in the nation's food supply chain. We are
dependent on bees, flies, moths and other insects to help pollinate
crops. However, some of these insects - bees in particular -are
also known to pose health and safety risks to the public. In fact,
stinging insects send an estimated 500,000 people to the hospital every
year. They are the leading cause of anaphylaxis-related deaths in
the United States. In light of this, bees are - and some government
entities have deemed them - a public safety hazard.
So how
do we, the American public, protect our families and our children, from
these insects that are both vital and potentially harmful? The
answer is carefully. The federal government, farmers, the
professional pest management industry, and home and business owners
must cooperate together to ensure effective tools are available to keep
the public safe from stinging insects, yet do so in a manner that will
enable pollinators to thrive in appropriate settings.
The
National Pest Management Association is working with the Environment
Protection Agency (EPA), state regulators, and other stakeholders
equally committed to ensuring an appropriate symbiotic relationship
exists between the safety of the American public and the essential role
bees play in agriculture.
Additional Resources
The
National Pest Management Association and the Professional Pest
Management Alliance will continue to monitor issues surrounding
pollinator health and share relevant information as it becomes
available.
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