Early one June 2013 morning at an Oregon shopping center parking lot. The bee kill in Oregon resulted from a label violation

Transcription

1 Challenges and Opportunities for the Green Industry Daniel A. Potter, Professor University of Kentucky, USA Early one June 2013 morning at an Oregon shopping center parking lot Shortly later, as shoppers begin to arrive 50,000 dead and dying bees More backlash.. Oregon Dept. of Agriculture officers Endangered species conservation biologists The bee kill in Oregon resulted from a label violation This product is highly toxic to bees Do not apply or allow it to drift to blooming crops or weeds if bees are visiting the treatment area Why all this attention on bees? 1

2 And, what does it mean for your Industry? Customer concerns Lawn care Pollinator Decline USDA estimates honey bee colony losses from all causes have averaged more than 30% annually since Congressional Research Service report ( Golf courses Regulatory issues Tree and shrub care Why care about bees? Bee pollination services to US Agriculture valued at $20 billion/year Tomatoes The California almond industry alone requires use of 1.4 million honey bee colonies! Without bees, they ll all be off the menu Almonds Cherries Why conserve bees? Bees pollinate gardens and native plants that provide food for urban wildlife Honey bees are of European Origin Brought to North America by early colonists in the 1600s Besides managed honey bees 4000 species of wild native bees also provide pollination services in the USA! 2

3 Bumble bees Types of wild Bees Mason bees, leafcutter bees (Megachilidae) Why are bee populations declining? Colony Collapse Disorder Beginning in 2006, beekeepers began reporting sudden widespread loss of hives Workers disappear leaving queen and immature bees no means to sustain them Sweat Bees (Halictidae) Mining bees (Andrenidae) CCD is a syndrome caused by different factors, working in combination Varroa mites: Suck blood and transmit deadly bee diseases Yikes!! Diseases Parasites Management stress Environmental stress Why are honey bees declining? Pathogen loads are higher in colonies suffering from CCD Why are honey bees declining? Why are honey bees declining? Deformed wing virus Exotic bee viruses Nosema fungus causes dysentery in bees Not good Good Real honey boosts baby bees immune systems 3

4 Why are honey bees declining? Travel stress! Why are ALL bees declining? Habitat loss Didn t I use to live here? Why are ALL bees declining? Environmental stressors Less varied, less nutritious pollen & nectar Accidental or chronic exposure to pesticides Parasitic mites Diseases The Scientific Consensus No single factor or specific combination of factors has been identified as the cause for declining bee populations Honey bee colony loss timeline in USA Varroa mites Neonics CCD Stressful management practices Habitat Loss Acute and chronic pesticide exposures Insecticide exposure, though not the main driver of bee decline, can put additional stress on bees USDA, US EPA, US Nat. Acad. Sci USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service Parasites, diseases One stress can increase bees vulnerability to others It is harder to recover from a concussion If you are also being kicked in the head Public perception is that pesticides, esp. neonicotinoid insecticides are the main cause of bee decline Other stressors Insecticide exposure Varroa mites, diseases, stressful management, habitat loss Other stressors, including insecticide exposure 4

5 The bee issue has become the new driver for pesticide politics Impact on Greenhouse and Nursery Growers Home Depot will require a label in each pot of plants treated with a neonicotinoid (2015) Other large retailers may soon follow suit Neonicotinoids Used by the Green Industry Homeowner products with systemic neonicotinoids (imidacloprid or dinotefuran) The scientific consensus is that neonicotinoids are not the primary driver of bee decline But that does not mean that neonicotinoids are harmless to bees! Bees can potentially be exposed via contact or systemic transference into pollen and nectar Are very effective for controlling pests like these: Boxwood psyllid Boxwood leafminer Lace bugs Scale insects The research shows: At high enough dosages, neonicotinoids have sub lethal effects that impair individual behavior and colony function But nearly all that research used unrealistically high doses, gave bees no other choices, and did not reflect real world conditions Future research should be with field realistic concentrations, relevant exposure and evaluation durations. USDA 2012 Impaired communication Impaired learning, foraging, and homing behavior 5

6 Our recent studies Evaluate hazards of insecticides to bees in lawn and landscape settings Find ways to reduce those hazards The model system: White clover intermixed with cool season lawn turf Clover is common in lawns and (some) golf course roughs White clover (Fabaceae) Jonathan Larson, PhD 2014 New queens seek overwintering sites, colony dies out Queen overwinters, becomes active in early spring We compared representative compounds from two chemical classes: Insecticides were applied at label rates for grub control in early May Gynes emerge, mating and outcrossing Solitary Phase (first few weeks) Neonicotinoid Anthranilic diamide Midsummer switch to producing new queens and males More workers produced, colony grows Eusociality when first workers emerge Clothianidin Chlorantraniliprole Commercial bumble bee hives starting with a queen and 20 workers Colonies introduced after sprays had dried and confined to forage for 6 days Treatment timing matches that for preventive grub control 30 open bottom cages 6

7 Colonies exposed to neonicotinoid treated turf had fewer workers out foraging No reduction from Acelepryn Foragers When colonies were opened and examined we saw: 58% fewer live bees 3 fold more dead bees No adverse effects Operation Pollinator for Golf Courses * 0 Clothianidin Arena Chlorantraniliprole Acelepryn Not No treated Input Our project: Evaluate best mixes Document benefits They will advise and custom blend a seed mix for your area Step 1: Mow Step 2: Herbicide Step 3: Vertical Mow and Rake Step 4: Seed Fusilade II (26 August) Primo Maxx (2 Sept) 7

8 Step 5: Drag September 2011 August 2012 Hand Collection Obj. 2 Lots of Bees.. June 2013 July 2013 Obj. 2 Total of 49 different pollinator species Seven bumble bee species including three uncommon and declining ones Lance leaf coreopsis Bergamot 8

9 Obj. 2 GreenCastOnline.com/OperationPollinator Operation Pollinator Tools Black eyed Susan New England aster Literature and guidelines Downloadable communications to members Downloadable press release to local media Signage for Operation Pollinator Plots Monarch Butterfly and Caterpillar on Milkweed Monarchs Migrate to and From Overwintering Grounds in Mexico Positive Publicity Publications USGA Green Section Xerces Society 9

10 What can you do to help bees? Use bee friendly insecticides Do not overspray flowering plants Read the label! Communicate with customers If you use systemic insecticides Common sense reduces bee hazard! Clover in lawns helps sustain urban bee populations Stepping stones between remnants of natural habitat Prune to remove blooms (e.g., boxwoods) Treat for scales, leafminers, lace bugs after bloom We found 37 species of bees, including several rare and declining native bumble bees, foraging on lawn weeds in Kentucky Larson & Potter, Journal of Insect Conservation (2014) What can you do to help bees? Diversity of plant species with succession of bloom from early spring through fall Publications and Websites New Project: Best Woody Landscape Plants for Bee Conservation These are the 40 plants we are sampling Native and Non Native Plants Can Both Be Good for Bee friendly Landscapes Hawthorn Viburnum Deutzia Golden Raintree Abi Saeed Bernie Mach American Holly Pyracantha 10

11 Some common plants have little value for bees Keep the pesticide politics in perspective Flowering landscape plants from garden centers are good for bees! Be Part of the Solution Bottlebrush buckeye (native) Seven sons tree (non native) Rhododendrons and Azaleas Knockout and hybrid tea roses Research Supported by: Thanks! 11