How Pesticides Can Harm Honeybees

Accomplished economist Philip H. Brown has published numerous articles and papers over the course of his nearly 20-year career. Previously the co-editor of China Economic Review, Philip H. Brown currently works as an economist with GeoSource Capital. Outside of his work, he maintains an avid interest in beekeeping.

One of the key difficulties that beekeepers face when caring for their hives is the issue of pesticide poisoning. Because bees can travel far from their hives in search of nectar, they can sometimes bring back harmful pesticides. These pesticides can accumulate in hives, harming the bees at all stages of their development. There two main ways in which pesticides can harm honeybees:

1. Spray drift – This issue occurs when pesticides are applied to a crop that is not in flower, but the spray drifts over to other crops that are flowering at the same time. Bees can then pick up the pesticide residue from the flowering crops and bring it back to the hives. To help prevent this issue, it is important to be aware of wind conditions when spraying crops, in order to help minimize drift. Planning for a buffer between different crops can also help alleviate this problem.

2. Synergism – This issue occurs when two different types of chemicals, which may not be toxic to bees on their own, are combined and used together. This combination of chemicals is relatively common in certain growing situations, such as when a fungicide and insecticide are used simultaneously. Even when certain chemicals are not considered toxic to bees by themselves, they may become toxic when combined with other chemicals. To avoid this issue, a best practice is for farmers or beekeepers to assume that most chemical combinations are toxic to bees and to take appropriate precautions.