Information for Protecting Honey Bees During Mosquito Spray Programs
Parts of North Carolina will soon be sprayed with insecticides for the purpose of controlling mosquitoes. Mosquitoes must be controlled in order to reduce the public health risk posed by the large numbers of mosquitoes breeding in stagnant water left by heavy rains. Mosquito numbers have increased dramatically due to the conditions left by heavy rainstorms. The increased risk of mosquito carried encephalitis and the large numbers of mosquito bites demand human intervention to control these pests.
Problems may arise if these
insecticides come into contact with honey bees. Honey bees
are susceptible to many insecticides, and in fact pesticides are
a major cause of honey bee deaths. The flooding in many
areas of North Carolina has already resulted in substantial
colony losses for many beekeepers, so it is especially important
to reduce the impact of the present mosquito program on the
remaining honey bee population.
In the past twelve years, the number of managed
and feral (wild) honey bee colonies in the U.S. and in North
Carolina has been dramatically reduced. A series of
introduced pests have eliminated about 1/3 of the managed
colonies and almost all feral colonies.
Public awareness of the importance of honey bees is growing. Besides providing the beeswax, honey, propolis, bee pollen and royal jelly that are the basis for countless businesses, honey bees are essential for producing a substantial portion of our agricultural crops. As pollinators, honey bees are unsurpassed in their service to farmers producing fruits and vegetables such as apples, cucumbers, squash, melons, blueberries, pears, etc. Without a large and steady supply of bee colonies, commercial growers would not be able to produce these crops, and their businesses would fail.
The mosquito control program
will include ground as well as aerial applications. Adult
mosquitoes will be targeted as well as immatures in the water.
You are encouraged to look through the links below to get a
better idea of what exactly will be taking place and to get
information about what you personally can do to minimize
inadvertent bee kills.
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This website was designed and created by Joshua Rubinstein, NCSU Graduate Student in Entomology and Dr. John Ambrose, NCSU Professor of Entomology and Extension Apiculturist
