Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Honey bees are the most familiar creatures but many others are even more valuable as pollinators. Indiscriminate pesticide applications greatly affect bee and wasp populations.
We are so short of pollinators in some urban gardens that hand pollination is needed for adequate fruit set on some fruits and vegetables.
Protect Pollinated Populations By:
1. Following good Integrated PestManagement(IPM) procedures. This includes non chemical pesticide alternatives.
2. If chemical sprays are needed, select products that are least likely to destroy the pollinators. Biorational pesticides include insecticidal soap, Bt, and other products that will not kill bees.
3. Apply sprays prior to 7:00 a.m. or after 7:00 p.m. Honey bees are less active then and are less likely to be poisoned at that time.
4. Dust formulations of insecticides can be picked up and moved to the hive. Avoid using them if possible.
