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Funded Project |
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Funding Program:
IPM Partnership Grants |
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Project Title:
Quantifying the Exposure and Effect of Farmer-Applied Pesticides on Northeast Migratory Operations Pollinating Crops in PA, NJ, ME, and MA |
Project Director (PD):
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Lead State: PA Lead Organization: Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture |
| Undesignated Funding: $8,000 |
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Start Date: May-01-2008 End Date: Apr-30-2009 |
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Site/Commodity: pollinators |
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Summary:
In the fall of 2006, widespread losses of bees came to be associated with symptoms known as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). Colonies rapidly declined, leaving behind few or no adult bees in the hive along with ample food supplies and a large area of brood. In an attempt to investigate the cause of these die offs a multi-factorial analysis of possible causes was initiated (vanEngelsdorp, Pettis, Cox-Foster, Frazier, Tarpy, et al (unpublished)). The role of parasites, pathogens, pesticides and nutrition were investigated. To date no one factor has been isolated as the sole cause of collapse. One limitation of this study, however, was the fact that samples were collected from colonies only once, in essence taking a snap shot of the colony health on the date of collection.
To help address this short coming, a longitudinal study was initiated in 2007, which followed tagged colonies in 3 migratory operations as they moved from Florida up and down the east coast to pollinate a variety of crops (Citrus, high bush blueberries (NJ), low bush blueberries (ME), apples (PA), cucumbers (NJ), squash (NJ), pumpkin(PA)). Samples of pollen, wax, adult bees, and detailed colony measurements were taken each time these colonies were moved to a new crop. While funding some funding has been secure for the analysis of bee samples for pesticide exposure this funding is only part of that needed to do to complete the analysis. To date a total of 45 different agricultural pesticides have been found in the pollen stores of the 92 colonies examined. These include colonies sampled as a part of the initial CCD study. The most frequently detected pesticides are shown in Table 1. While none of these or other pesticides have yet been identified as the sole cause of CCD, it is possible that pesticide contaminated pollen and/or pesticide build-up in the colonies, is one of important factors contributing to CCD and declining bee health. Objectives: The funding requested in this proposal will help answer: 1. What pesticides are migratory operations exposed to as they move to different agricultural crops and honey producing areas? 2. What effect does this exposure have on short term and long term colony health and survivorship? Proposal (PDF) |
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