New bulletin helps farmers fight honeybee problems
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EmailEditor’s note: This article is from the archives of the MSU Crop Advisory Team Alerts. Check the label of any pesticide referenced to ensure your use is included.
One
quarter of the United States honeybee population has been lost to colony
collapse disorder (CCD), and interest is growing in alternative
pollinators such as native bees. A new Michigan State University
Extension bulletin is available for farmers and other landowners
interested in exploring practices to enhance native pollinators on their
property.
“Conserving Native Bees on Farmland” (E-2985) provides straightforward
information about creating attractive environments for native bees. The
bulletin teaches the reader about various native bee species and gives
recommendations about nesting sites and food resources.
Honeybees are the most economically important pollinator and are used
widely for pollinating crops, but they are also susceptible to diseases
and parasites. Colony collapse disorder is a mysterious condition that
has appeared recently in which adult honeybees abandon their hives for
what appears to be no reason at all.
“With honeybee health problems, focusing on native bees is a strategy to
reduce the risks of sole dependence on honeybees,” said Rufus Isaacs,
associate professor of entomology. “Our goal is to help growers make
sure they can pollinate their crops and have reliable production on
their farms every year.”
Entomology graduate student Julianna Tuell did native bee research with
13 growers in conventional blueberry farms and semi-abandoned blueberry
fields. She studied a variety of native bees, their habitat needs and
feeding preferences. The bulletin compiles her research into
recommendations for farmers, gardeners and anyone growing crops that
rely on bees for pollination.
“The native bees contribute to pollination, but they won’t replace
honeybees,” Tuell said. “The good news is that native bees do not seem
to be affected by colony collapse disorder, perhaps because they do not
live in large colonies.”
“Conserving Native Bees on Farmland” (E-2985) can be purchased through
the MSU Bulletin Office for $2 per copy by calling 517-353-6740 or
visiting http://www.emdc.msue.msu.edu/.
Discounts are available if the bulletin is purchased for use with MSU
Extension programming. You can also print and view a copy through the
pdf file at: http://www.nativeplants.msu.edu/pdf/E2973.pdf
Project GREEEN (Generating Research and Extension to meet Economic and
Environmental Needs) funded the entomology research and also supported
another new bulletin describing the relationships between native plants
and beneficial insects. “Attracting Beneficial Insects with Native
Flowering Plants” (E-2973) was written by Isaacs and Tuell, along with
MSU entomology researchers Douglas Landis and Anna Fiedler.
Visit http://www.nativeplants.msu.edu for more information on MSU native plant and beneficial insect research. A companion site helps identify natural enemies in crops.
(This news release provided by one of the project funders, Project
GREEEN, a cooperative effort between plant-based commodities and
businesses together with the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station,
MSU Extension and the Michigan Department of Agriculture. To learn more
about Michigan’s plant agriculture initiative at MSU, visit: http://www.greeen.msu.edu/ )
