Farming for bees:

sustainable pollination on your farmRufus Isaacs & Julianna Tuell

Department of Entomology, Michigan State University

72% of crop plants require bee-mediated pollination

35% of human food is dependent upon bees for pollination Klein et al. 2006

• Some species are very efficient crop pollinators: Bombus, Osmia….

• Native bees are adapted to local weather conditions

• Some species emerge in synchrony with specific crops to pollinate them exclusively

• Long term sustainability of pollination: $3 billion of fruit and vegetable pollination

• May be considered ‘pollination insurance’

Why consider native bees for crop pollination?

Pollinator diversity to ensure crop pollination

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10 year blueberry yields – my fictional data!!

Michigan Agricultural LandscapesAgricultural landscapes

Landscape provides

-Flowering plants

-Nesting sites

Varying intensity of crop management

• Unmanaged land generally benefits native bee communitiesKremen et al. 2002, Greenleaf and Kremen 2006, Winfree 2007

• Wild bees perform better in organic vs. conventionally managed crop landscapes. Gabriel and Tscharntke 2007, Holzuch et al. 2008

• Bee communities are generally suppressed by insecticides – Fenitrothion application caused native bee declines Kevan 1997, Kevan and Plowright 1989

– Pesticide program less important than proximity to native landscape Kremen et al. 2002, 2004

• Tillage reduces populations of ground-nesting bees. Schuler et al. 2006

Response of native bees to agricultural intensification

Increase native bees on farmland by providing…

1. Nectar and pollen– selective mowing of ditches and field borders.– combine flowering plant species to provide overlapping blooms. – insect conservation strips at edges of fields.– integrate woody and herbaceous plants for early and late-blooming flowers.

2. Nesting habitat– undisturbed open sandy soil– old trees, snags, woodland

3. Environment free of toxic insecticides - adopt IPM/organic practices

- selective insecticides

- use biological controls

Research questions

1. Which species of native bee are present in blueberry fields?

2. How do local habitat type and management intensity in and around blueberry fields influence native bees?

3. Do insecticides targeted at pests after bloom affect abundance

of native bees during bloom the following year?

Which native bees are present during blueberry bloom?

andrenid bees45%

sweat bees45%

mason bees1%

cellophane bees1%

bumble bees and carpenter

bees8%

Sampled twice during bloom at 15 farms in 2004, 2005, 2006

digger bees

N

N

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-1.5

1.5

Andrenid bees

Halictid bees

other native beesinsecticide program

soil cult.

perimeter woods

treeline

ditches

other fl crops

adj. blueberry

meadows

floral abundance

plant sp

2005

Native bee abundance is affected by farm management practices

sample time in relation to blueberry bloom

Many native bee species are active through the year

focus on blueberry

visit different species’

flowers throughout spring

and summer

Overlap between pollinator activity and pest activity

April May June July Aug Sept

Osmia beesandrenid bees

halictid bees

Bombus queens

Bombus workers

= Blueberry bloom

Insecticides applied by study cooperators 2003-2005

InsecticideActive Ingredient Chemical Class Targeted pests

LD50

µg/bee

Diazinon 50 WP diazinon OP BBA 0.14

Guthion 50 WP azinphos-methyl OP FW, OBLR 0.06

Imidan 70 WP phosmet OP BBM, JB, OBLR 0.61

Aqua Malathion malathion OP BBM, JB 0.27

Asana XL 0.66 EC esfenvalerate pyrethroid FW, BBA 0.06

Lannate methomyl carbamate FW, BBA 0.08

Sevin 80 WSP carbaryl carbamate BBM, JB, OBLR 1.50

Sevin XLR+ carbaryl carbamate BBM, JB, OBLR 26.70

Provado 1.6 F imidacloprid neonicotinoid BBM, JB, BBA 0.050

Spintor 2 SC spinosad naturalyte BBM 0.025

Confirm 2 F tebufenozide IGR FW, OBLR 234.00

Dipel B. thuringiensis biological FW, OBLR >500.00

LD50 = Dose killing 50% of worker Apis mellifera after 24 hours. Topical application method.

Index of pesticide risk to bees

• Grower spray records obtained for each season prior to bee monitoring, starting in 2003.

• An insecticide program toxicity (IPT) score for each field each year was calculated:

• Determine relationship between native bee counts and insecticide intensity from the year prior to each sample during bloom.

insecticide program toxicity = ∑ amount of active ingredient (kg) / HaLD50 for honeybees

insecticide program toxicity = ∑ amount of active ingredient (kg) / HaLD50 for honeybees

amount of active ingredient (kg) / HaLD50 for honeybees

Native bees declined with increasing IPT scorethis trend was seen in two of three sampling years

2004 data

Pesticide toxicity (IPT) in previous year

abundance= 0.44

P = 0.007

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abundance= 0.44

P = 0.007

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R2 = 0.44P = 0.007

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richness= 0.33

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Number of bees Number of bee species

Summary

• Blueberry fields contain a diversity of native bee species during bloom, with variable nesting biology, timing, and specialization.

• The abundance and richness of native bees are affected by some in-field management practices, and by adjacent land use.

• Fields receiving pest control programs with higher pesticide toxicity have lower native bee abundance and richness.

• Reducing toxicity of pest control practiceswill support greater bee abundance and richness.

• Foraging and nesting resources are needed throughout the season.

• Flower and nesting resources near to crop fields can help support the native bee community.

Implications for bee conservation on farms

Midwest prairie plants most attractive to beneficial insects

Benefits

Enhance native biodiversity

Restoration of imperiled habitats

Less likely to be invasive

Adapted to local climate

Provide habitat permanency

Potential negatives

Multi-year establishment

Availability

Cost

funded by

• Bees: sweat bees, digger bees, cuckoo bees, small and large carpenter bees, and bumble bees

• Natural enemies: chalcid wasps, minute pirate bug, spiders

Yellow coneflower (Ratibida pinnata)

• Bloom: late July - mid August

Range

Sunlight

sun shade

Rangedry

Moisture

wet

• Bees: sweat bees, small carpenter bees, digger bees, bumble bees

• Natural enemies: minute pirate bug, predatory plant bug, Chalcid wasps, soldier beetle, spiders

Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum)

• Bloom: August – early September

Range

Sunlight

sun shade

Rangedry

Moisturewet

www.nativeplants.msu.edu

Bloom phenology and relative attractiveness of native plants

Native plant

wild strawberry

golden alexanders

Canada anemone

penstemon

angelica

cow parsnip

sand coreopsis

shrubby cinquefoil

Indian hemp

late figwort

swamp milkweed

Culver's root

yellow coneflower

nodding wild onion

meadowsweet

yellow giant hyssop

horsemint

Missouri ironweed

cup plant

pale Indian plantain

boneset

blue lobelia

pale-leaved sunflower

Riddell's goldenrod

New England aster

smooth aster

Natural enemies AugMay Jun Jul Sep Oct

Bloom periodBees

KEY

good

better

best

Fiedler et al. (2007)Also at: www.nativeplants.msu.edu

Season-long bee-attractive native floral resources

beardtongue, Penstemon hirsutus

Native plant

golden Alexanders, Zizia aureacommon ninebark, Physocarpus opulifolius

late figwort, Scrophularia marilandicaswamp milkweed, Asclepias incarnataCulver's root, Veronicastrum virginicumyellow coneflower, Ratibida pinnatanodding wild onion, Allium cernuummeadowsweet, Spiraea albayellow giant hyssop, Agastache nepetoideshorsemint/spotted beebalm, Monarda punctataMissouri ironweed, Vernonia missuricacup plant, Silphium perfoliatumpale Indian plantain, Cacalia atriplicifoliaboneset, Eupatorium perfoliatumblue lobelia, Lobelia siphiliticapale-leaved sunflower, Helianthus strumosusRiddell's goldenrod, Solidago riddelliiNew England aster, Aster novae-angliaesmooth aster, Aster laevis

AugMay Jun Jul Sep OctApproximate Bloom Period

American elder, Sambucus canadensis

Apr

willow, Salix spp.

wild cherry, Prunus spp.black chokecherry, Aronia melanocarpa

silky dogwood, Cornus amomum

Enhancing pollinator conservation on farmland

avoid bee toxic pesticidesduring bloom

flowering perimeters

flowering ground cover

limited tillage

nesting habitats

clean water

only use bee safe pesticides

natural area refuges

landscape management

Research on crop-specific and regionally appropriate practices

Cost : benefit analyses

Financial incentives

Demonstration programs

Information delivery

Incentive payments for working lands

Farm Bill conservation programs: EQIP, WHIP, GRP, WRP, CRP, CSP, etc.

Many USDA-NRCS “conservation practices” can be used to provide habitat for pollinators

An increasing number of sources to help fund pollinator conservation practices

State Acres for Wildlife Grants (SAFE)

Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) now targeting pollinator projects (new in 2008)

Conservation Security Program (CSP) has a specific nectar corridor enhancement

The new Farm Bill?

Pollinator conservation informationwww.nativeplants.msu.edu

More information at www.xerces.org and www.pollinator.org

CollaboratorsAnna Fiedler Doug LandisJohn Ascher, AMNHMace Vaughn, Xerces Soc.

Research assistantsSteve Van TimmerenJack LangdonMatthew TuellCasey McLeanJessie Siemen

Grower CooperatorsLarry BodtkeRandy BowermanBob CariniJoe DeGranchampBeverly DeJongeKarlis Galens R.J. Rant Dave Stansby Terry TilesDoug Wassink Jan Woods

Thanks!

Funding