APIS Volume 6, Number 1, January 1988
In this issue
- Section 18 Label Approved for Fluvalinate: Historical Data Only
- Research on the Honey Bee/Aldicarb Connection
- Aldicarb Repellency to Bees
- On Perspective--Numbers and Pesticides
SECTION 18 LABEL APPROVED FOR FLUVALINATE ON WOODEN STRIPS
[Editor's note: This is included for historical purposes only and is no longer valid]
After a great deal of hurrah, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has responded positively to USDA APHIS's request for a section 18 label on the use of the pesticide fluvalinate to treat colonies infested with the Varroa mite. In response to this, Doyle Conner, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FADCS) has implemented a program to ensure compliance with the label's requirements.
Of primary importance is that application of fluvalinate MUST be made by or under the supervision of certified applicators of the Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) personnel employed by USDA APHIS or cooperating state departments of agriculture. In his letter of January 11, 1988 to beekeepers, the Commissioner states: "We have moved as rapidly as possible to make Florida the first state to obtain cooperating status with the USDA and establish a program that meets the requirements of EPA and USDA."
FADCS is now planning a series of Beekeeper Pesticide Compliance Workshops around the state the latter part of this month. The Apiary Bureau is sending out the times and places to beekeepers who are due to receive moving permits. These are scheduled January 19 in Broward County at 3:00 p.m., January 20 in Lee County at 3:00 p.m., January 22 at 10:00, Citrus Research Station, Lake Alfred, January 28 at 10:00 a.m. in Gainesville at the Doyle Conner Building, 10:00 a.m. and February 2 at 3:00 p.m. at the Neal Civic Center, 1424 N. Pear St. (SR 69), Blountstown, FL 32424, 904/647-4500. There will probably be some others scheduled in the near future. All county Cooperative Extension Offices are being notified electronically of these workshops. Contact them or your bee inspector for latest information on those being presented now and in the future.
Although the situation can change, several things should be noted about conditions surrounding the use of this Section 18 label. It is for quarantine (treatment only) and will not certify beekeepers to move either within or outside the state at the present time. Meanwhile, the movement moratorium will remain in effect and traditional moving permits, usually issued this time of year, will not be mailed to beekeepers. Movement can only be made after bees have been checked by a bee inspector and certified apparently mite free and a Varroa Mite Restricted Destination (Survey) Certificate issued, and all movement must be under net or cover to prevent escape of bees. For the latest information, contact your bee inspector or the Apiary Bureau, 352/372-3505.
The label is "non-food" use and so all honey on the colony when it is treated must be fed back to bees or destroyed. The material must be used for control only-- -it should not be used for prevention as Terramycin is currently implemented for foulbrood control. At the present time, only those beekeepers who have been designated as POSITIVE for Varroa will be allowed to sign a compliance agreement with the Division of Plant Industry. Others are urged to attend training sessions in the event their colonies become infested with mites.
It is emphasized that ONLY THOSE who have been TRAINED and have SIGNED a compliance agreement with FADCS will legally be able to use the pesticide.
Finally, the label requires reporting the amount of pesticide used and dictates that any adverse effects resulting from use of fluvalinate be immediately reported to the EPA. The label expires October 19, 1990.
Recently I've had several replies to my article last month concerning pesticide use inside bee colonies. One in particular from David L. Green punctuated my remarks. Within the context of the above situation where beekeepers will begin to use pesticides for Varroa control, he says, "Mites as a class build resistance to pesticides much more rapidly than insects. In the fruit regions of New York, insect pests are easy to control; mites are a real problem, because most materials don't work very well anymore." He suggests the remedy of alternation of pesticides to prevent mite resistance from building up; "If EPA only approves one material, we will only have bought a little time for treating."
RESEARCH ON THE HONEY BEE/ALDICARB CONNECTION
Research is continuing on the connection between aldicarb (Temik) application and subsequent effects on bees feeding on nectar. To date, however, we don't know much more than to corroborate what anecdotal information in the past has shown. A recent meeting concerning this research suggested that the problem with colonies declining due to aldicarb in nectar continues to be associated with groves in shallow soils with a high water table. The Ft. Pierce area is one such place. Areas on the central Florida ridge do not appear to be affected.
Many persons now agree that timing of application/activation is the key to limiting bee loss in particularly risky areas. At least one grower is recommending a February 10 thru March 10 application on navels and February 20 thru March 20 application for other varieties. At the present time, negotiations are underway to carefully examine label restrictions in an attempt to maximize usefulness of the material in groves while at the same time minimizing apparent damage to bee colonies.
Research is continuing on the issue. Because of continuing interest in the subject, I am reprinting an article that appeared in the January, 1987 issue of APIS which is still germane to the subject. It is entitled Citrus Honey Considerations.
This is the time of year when the sap begins to rise in the Florida beekeeper. The Ides of March are not far off when citrus traditionally blooms. Soon each will have to make a decision whether to "go to the orange," or sit the season out on the sidelines. This is not an easy thing to do. And in recent years, it has become more and more risky. Beyond the traditional concerns (rain, wind, cold weather) that can affect prospects of a good citrus nectar flow, the specters of freezes that have decimated so many acres and citrus canker, which can, and has limited access to groves have appeared.
Regional considerations are also important. Although citrus plantings continue to increase southward from the Central Florida Ridge, often the soils and conditions under which the trees are growing, as well as varieties of trees, can be very different than those beekeepers might be used to. Can these influence a nectar crop? Nobody knows for sure, but experiences by some suggest that plantings in south Florida on less well drained soils do not provide the nectar crops expected on the Central Florida Ridge. Agricultural pursuits have been dictated by soil types for centuries; should it be any different in Florida citrus? Certainly this is true for the wild bee forage.
More recently, the use of Temik® (aldicarb) has become more a concern for beekeepers in citrus groves. Aldicarb is a nematicide and systemic insecticide which some believe also acts as a powerful growth stimulator. It is usually disked into the soil and when activated by water, can kill nematodes in the soil and is conducted through the plant's vascular system. When insects feed on the leaves, they can be affected by the material.
If this is the case, what about potential effects of honey bees foraging on nectar? There is no clear answer. The material is not applied in all groves nor is it important in culturing all citrus varieties. Its movement through trees is not well understood, and the type of soil in which the tree is growing can dramatically affect uptake and ultimate toxicity of the material. Half life (the time it takes for toxicity to degrade by one-half) can vary between 14 to as many as 78 days, depending on microbial action in the soil. The parent material also breaks down into two components that are also toxic but to varying degrees.
Further complicating the issue is that bees feeding on nectar contaminated by aldicarb may be able to detoxify it to a degree. Experience in groves has not indicated classic pesticide kill by aldicarb; no colonies have actually been destroyed. More likely, contaminated nectar present in chronic low dosages could weaken a colony and/or affect its reproductive ability. Both conditions have been substantiated for other systemic pesticides.
Reports in Florida by beekeepers concerning aldicarb's effects are extremely variable and none have been scientifically verified. This does not mean, however, the material is not in the honey bees' environment. As I reported in the June, 1986 issue of this newsletter, it has been found in Florida nectar samples for the first time. Research in both California and Washington indicates aldicarb in nectar affects colonies. Unfortunately, we have no way to correlate research done on the west coast with Florida conditions.
This all boils down to a classic case of "let the beekeeper beware." There are several things that can be done. Correlate nectar and honey crops with where the pesticide might have been applied, and ask growers and managers if they use the material and where. Try to find out when it was applied and when activated by water (rainfall or irrigation). Also inquire of other beekeepers in the area about their experiences in recent times. Reports indicate severe problems have only occurred in the last five years or so. In other words, as with any other management decision, get all the facts before committing your bees to certain citrus locations.
A final word of caution. Communicate and cooperate with grove owners and managers on this issue. Most are willing to provide basic information on their practices. Be careful concerning treatment of the aldicarb issue. Experience suggests that growers are not convinced the material does damage to colonies and may not stop using the product even if proof did exist. This material means a lot to many citrus grove owners and managers. At a recent meeting on the subject, one grower stated, "...it has put $50,000 dollars pure profit in my pocket." This is a strong argument to use the material, especially in conjunction with published studies of its effectiveness. Vociferous beekeepers who have spoken against Temik application have been denied access to citrus groves. A word to the wise should be sufficient.
ALDICARB REPELLENCY TO BEES
An offshoot of the continuing research mentioned above is preliminary indication that when fed to bee colonies, aldicarb appears to be somewhat repellent. This adds another variable in the equation; repellency certainly isn't an aid to nectar collection by bees, but could be a vital protection against colony damage. The same effect has been reported for other pesticides. I have also been informed that bees stop foraging on mangrove when salt concentrations in nectar become too high.
In his December, 1987 The Newsletter on Beekeeping, Dr. Elbert Jaycox [Editor's note: No longer published] reported on work done in Japan suggesting that molasses acted as an inhibitor to foraging behavior. This work was the outgrowth of concern by beekeepers about using a mixture of carbaryl (Sevin) and molasses for control of certain beetles that infest pine trees with nematodes.
ON PERSPECTIVE--NUMBERS AND PESTICIDES
A colleague of mine recently sent around some figures that he says provide perspective concerning contaminants found in chemicals and foods. Frequently these are reported in parts per billion or trillion. With that in mind, he tendered the following:
One part per billion equals:
- 1 bogey to 3,500,000 golf tournaments
- 1 lob to 1,200,000 tennis matches
- 1 penny to $10,000,000
- 1 square foot to 36 square miles
- 1 pinch of salt to 10 tons of potato chips
- 1 inch to a 16,000 mile trip
One part per trillion equals:
- 1 postage stamp to an area the size of Dallas
- 1 square inch to 250 square miles
- 1 hairbreadth to a trip around the world
I have not personally confirmed these figures. Anybody out there with a slide rule?
Malcolm T. Sanford
Bldg 970, Box 110620
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL 32611-0620
Phone (904) 392-1801, Ext. 143 FAX: 904-392-0190
http://www.ifas.ufl.edu/~entweb/api s/apis.htm
INTERNET Address: MTS@GNV.IFAS.UFL.EDU
©1988 M.T. Sanford "All Rights Reserved
