Pesticide Exposure: Protecting Your Bees, Recognizing Signs & Reporting Kills

Pesticide exposure is one of the most frustrating and devastating challenges a beekeeper can face. You invest months building strong colonies, managing Varroa, ensuring adequate forage — and then a single spray event on a neighboring field can undo it all in hours. The United States loses an estimated 40 percent of managed honey bee colonies each year, and pesticides are a significant contributing factor in those losses.

This guide covers every angle of pesticide risk: how exposure happens, what it looks like, how to prevent it, and what to do when the worst occurs. Whether you keep two hives in a suburban backyard or run a commercial pollination operation, understanding pesticide exposure is essential to protecting your bees.

Why Pesticide Exposure Matters

Honey bees pollinate approximately $15 billion worth of crops annually in the United States. They are indispensable to the production of almonds, apples, blueberries, cherries, and dozens of other fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Yet the agricultural landscape that depends on them is also the landscape that poisons them.

Scale of Losses

The Bee Informed Partnership's annual survey consistently reports colony losses above 30 percent. While Varroa mites remain the leading cause of colony death, pesticide exposure is a major secondary factor — and one that is significantly underreported. A 2023 analysis by the USDA's Agricultural Research Service found pesticide residues in over 90 percent of sampled wax, pollen, and beeswax from managed hives across the country.

Acute pesticide kills — the kind where thousands of dead bees pile up at the hive entrance overnight — are dramatic and visible. But the far more common scenario is chronic, low-dose exposure that erodes colony health over weeks and months. These sublethal effects are harder to detect but may account for greater total colony losses than acute poisoning events.

Economic Impact

For commercial beekeepers, a pesticide kill can mean the loss of pollination contracts worth thousands of dollars per colony. A single semi-load of 400 colonies headed to California almond pollination represents roughly $80,000 in rental income. Losing even a fraction of those colonies to pesticide exposure can be financially catastrophic.

Hobbyist beekeepers face different but still significant costs. Replacing a dead colony — purchasing a new package or nuc, drawn comb, and the time required to build it back to productive strength — typically costs $150 to $300 per hive, not including the lost honey crop.

⚠️ The emotional toll matters too. Beekeepers who experience pesticide kills often describe feeling helpless and angry. Knowing the signs, prevention strategies, and reporting procedures gives you back a measure of control.

How Bees Are Exposed

Pesticides reach honey bees through multiple pathways. Understanding each one helps you assess risk and plan protective measures.

Direct Spray

The most obvious and often most lethal exposure pathway. A pesticide applicator sprays a blooming crop or weeds near your apiary while bees are actively foraging. Bees are hit directly by the spray or land on freshly treated surfaces within minutes.

Direct spray exposure typically causes acute poisoning with rapid onset — dead and dying bees appear at the hive entrance within hours. The mortality pattern is distinctive: large numbers of dead foragers with their pollen loads still attached.

Contaminated Pollen and Nectar

Many systemic pesticides — particularly neonicotinoids — are absorbed by plant tissues and distributed throughout the plant, including into pollen and nectar. Bees collect this contaminated pollen and nectar and bring it back to the hive, where it is stored and fed to larvae and other bees.

This pathway is insidious because:

It continues for weeks or months after the initial application
It exposes every bee in the colony, including the queen and developing brood
Residues accumulate in beeswax over time, creating a chronic exposure environment
The contaminated pollen may be stored and consumed months later during winter

Dust and Seed Treatment Particulates

When insecticide-treated seeds are planted using air-assisted planters, the abrasive seed coating generates dust that can drift considerable distances. Corn planting is the primary concern in many regions, as virtually all corn seed sold in the US is treated with neonicotinoid insecticides.

Planter exhaust dust can travel hundreds of yards and settle on nearby flowering plants, water sources, or directly on hives. Multiple documented bee kill events have been linked to corn planting dust rather than foliar spray applications.

Contaminated Water

Bees collect water for hive thermoregulation and to dilute honey for feeding brood. Pesticides can contaminate water sources through runoff, drift, or direct application. Puddles in treated fields, irrigation ditches, and even water features near sprayed areas can become toxic to foraging bees.

Guttation droplets — the water droplets that form on leaf tips of certain plants, particularly corn — can contain neonicotinoid concentrations hundreds of times higher than the lethal dose for honey bees. While guttation is a less common exposure pathway, it can be significant in agricultural areas during certain growth stages.

Residue Accumulation in the Hive

Perhaps the most concerning long-term pathway is the accumulation of multiple pesticide residues within the hive itself. Over time, contaminated pollen, nectar, and propolis introduce a cocktail of chemicals into the comb. Beeswax is particularly effective at binding and retaining lipophilic pesticides, creating a persistent exposure source that is difficult to remediate.

Studies have found that a typical colony contains residues of 5 to 15 different pesticides simultaneously. This chemical cocktail may have synergistic effects that are more toxic than any individual compound alone.

Exposure Pathway	Typical Pesticides	Onset	Duration
Direct spray	Pyrethroids, organophosphates	Hours	Days
Contaminated pollen/nectar	Neonicotinoids, fungicides	Days to weeks	Weeks to months
Seed treatment dust	Neonicotinoids	Hours	Days
Contaminated water	Various	Hours	Days to weeks
Wax residue accumulation	All lipophilic compounds	Gradual	Years

Types of Pesticides Harmful to Bees

Not all pesticides pose equal risk to honey bees. Understanding the major classes, their toxicity profiles, and how they affect bees helps you assess danger and communicate effectively with applicators.

Neonicotinoids

Neonicotinoids are the most widely used class of insecticides in the world. They are systemic — absorbed into all plant tissues — and act on the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in insect nervous systems. Common neonicotinoids include imidacloprid, clothianidin, thiamethoxam, dinotefuran, and acetamiprid.

Their systemic nature makes them particularly problematic for bees. Even when applied as seed treatments or soil drenches — methods that were supposed to reduce non-target exposure — they appear in pollen and nectar at concentrations that can harm bees.

The European Union banned the outdoor use of the three most harmful neonicotinoids (imidacloprid, clothianidin, and thiamethoxam) in 2018. The US Environmental Protection Agency has implemented some restrictions but has not followed suit with a broad ban.

Organophosphates

Organophosphates are an older class of insecticides that includes compounds like chlorpyrifos, malathion, and diazinon. They inhibit acetylcholinesterase, causing nerve signal buildup that leads to paralysis and death. While their use has declined, they remain in agricultural use in many areas.

Organophosphates are highly toxic to bees through direct contact and are among the most common causes of acute bee kills from foliar applications. Many states have restricted chlorpyrifos use, but existing stockpiles and specific crop registrations mean exposure risk persists.

Pyrethroids

Synthetic pyrethroids — including permethrin, cypermethrin, deltamethrin, and bifenthrin — are widely used in both agriculture and residential pest control. They are sodium channel modulators that cause rapid knockdown and death in insects.

Pyrethroids are highly toxic to bees when wet but break down relatively quickly in sunlight. The risk window is typically shorter than with neonicotinoids, but direct spray during bee flight activity remains extremely dangerous.

Fungicides

While fungicides are generally less acutely toxic to bees than insecticides, they are increasingly recognized as a concern. Certain fungicides — particularly those in the sterol biosynthesis inhibitor (SBI) class — can synergize with insecticides, making them more toxic to bees.

Chlorothalonil, one of the most widely used fungicides, has been linked to reduced brood viability and increased susceptibility to Nosema infection. The fungicide propiconazole can increase the toxicity of some pyrethroids by up to 1,000 times by inhibiting the detoxification enzymes bees use to process insecticides.

Herbicides

Most herbicides are not directly toxic to bees at field application rates. However, their indirect effects are significant. Broad-spectrum herbicides eliminate flowering weeds that provide critical forage, especially in agricultural landscapes where crop bloom periods are brief. Glyphosate, the most widely used herbicide, has also been shown to disrupt the gut microbiome of honey bees, potentially increasing susceptibility to pathogens.

Comparison Table: Pesticide Toxicity to Honey Bees

Pesticide Class	Examples	Acute Toxicity	Residual Toxicity	Primary Pathway
Neonicotinoids	Imidacloprid, clothianidin, thiamethoxam	High	Very long (weeks–months)	Systemic uptake into pollen/nectar
Organophosphates	Chlorpyrifos, malathion, diazinon	Very high	Moderate (days)	Direct contact, spray drift
Pyrethroids	Permethrin, cypermethrin, deltamethrin	Very high	Short (hours–days in sun)	Direct spray, drift
Fungicides	Chlorothalonil, propiconazole, captan	Low–moderate	Variable	Synergistic effects, brood harm
Herbicides	Glyphosate, 2,4-D, atrazine	Low direct	N/A	Indirect — forage elimination

💡 Toxicity depends on dose, route, and timing. A pyrethroid applied in the evening after bee flight is far less dangerous than a neonicotinoid seed treatment that produces contaminated pollen for weeks.

Signs of Pesticide Poisoning

Recognizing pesticide poisoning quickly is critical for documenting the event and taking protective action for surviving colonies. Signs fall into two broad categories: acute and chronic.

Acute Poisoning

Acute poisoning occurs when bees receive a high dose of pesticide in a short period, typically from direct spray or drift. Signs appear rapidly — often within hours of exposure.

At the hive entrance:

Unusually large numbers of dead bees on the landing board and ground in front of the hive
Dying bees that appear disoriented, spinning on their backs, or exhibiting uncoordinated movement (ataxia)
Bees trembling, twitching, or exhibiting convulsive movements
Aggressive or unusually irritable behavior from surviving bees
A pile of dead bees that builds up rapidly over hours, not days

Inside the hive:

Dead bees scattered on the bottom board, sometimes with tongues extended
Dead foragers still carrying pollen loads
Queen stoppage — the queen may stop laying for days after a significant exposure event
Brood that appears abandoned or uncapped as nurse bees die off

Chronic Poisoning

Chronic poisoning results from ongoing, low-level exposure — typically through contaminated pollen, nectar, or wax. The signs develop gradually and can be difficult to distinguish from other colony health problems.

Colony-level signs:

Gradual population decline that does not match seasonal expectations
Poor brood pattern — scattered, with many empty cells
Failure to build population adequately in spring
Supersedure failures — colonies unable to successfully replace a failing queen
Increased susceptibility to diseases and parasites
Reduced honey stores despite adequate forage availability
Bees that seem "listless" or less active than expected

Distinguishing Pesticide Kills from Other Causes

Not every dead bee at the hive entrance means pesticide poisoning. Consider these differentials:

Sign	Pesticide Poisoning	Varroa/Disease	Starvation	Queen Failure
Sudden mass death	Yes	No	Sometimes	No
Dead bees with pollen loads	Yes	Rarely	Sometimes	No
Twitching/convulsing bees	Yes	No	No	No
Gradual decline	Sometimes (chronic)	Yes	Yes	Yes
Dead brood	Sometimes	Yes	No	Sometimes
Tongues extended	Often	Rarely	Sometimes	No
Foul odor	No	Sometimes (AFB)	No	No

⚠️ Document everything immediately. If you suspect pesticide poisoning, take photos and notes before cleaning up. The evidence you collect in the first 24 hours is often the most important for filing a report.

Sublethal Effects

Not all pesticide exposure kills bees outright. Sublethal doses — concentrations too low to cause immediate death — can impair critical behaviors and physiological functions in ways that ultimately weaken or doom a colony.

Reduced Foraging Efficiency

Bees exposed to sublethal neonicotinoid doses show reduced foraging activity and take longer to complete foraging trips. They visit fewer flowers per trip and bring back less pollen and nectar. A landmark 2012 study published in Science found that bumblebees exposed to imidacloprid at field-realistic levels collected 57 percent less pollen than unexposed controls.

Even modest reductions in foraging efficiency compound across thousands of foragers over weeks and months, leading to significantly reduced colony food stores.

Perhaps the most well-documented sublethal effect is the disruption of bee navigation. Honey bees use sophisticated spatial memory and learning to locate food sources and return to their hive. Neonicotinoid exposure at extremely low concentrations interferes with the neural processes underlying these abilities.

Bees exposed to sublethal doses may:

Take significantly longer to return from foraging trips
Be unable to find their way back to the hive at all
Fail to communicate accurate forage locations through waggle dances
Show reduced olfactory learning — the ability to associate floral scents with nectar rewards

One study found that thiamethoxam-exposed honey bees were two to three times more likely to fail to return to their hive than unexposed bees. This "missing bee" phenomenon may help explain the symptoms of Colony Collapse Disorder, where hives are found largely empty of adult bees.

Immune Suppression

Neonicotinoids and other pesticides can suppress the immune function of honey bees, making them more susceptible to pathogens and parasites. Research has demonstrated that low-dose neonicotinoid exposure:

Redces the expression of immune-related genes
Increases susceptibility to Deformed Wing Virus (DWV)
Worsens Nosema infections
Reduces the effectiveness of social immunity behaviors like hygienic behavior and propolis collection

This immune suppression creates a vicious cycle: pesticide exposure weakens the bees, diseases take hold more easily, and the combined stress accelerates colony decline.

Reproductive Effects

Chronic pesticide exposure can affect queen health and reproductive capacity. Queens exposed to pesticide residues in wax may have reduced sperm viability in their spermatheca, leading to faster queen failure and increased supersedure attempts. Drone semen quality is also affected — drones reared in contaminated wax produce less viable sperm.

Gut Microbiome Disruption

Emerging research shows that pesticide exposure — particularly glyphosate — can disrupt the beneficial gut microbiome of honey bees. The bee gut microbiome plays important roles in nutrient metabolism, immune function, and pathogen resistance. Disruption of these microbial communities leaves bees more vulnerable to opportunistic infections.

Prevention Strategies

Prevention is always more effective than remediation when it comes to pesticide exposure. While you cannot eliminate all risk, a combination of communication, planning, and physical protection can significantly reduce the likelihood and severity of exposure events.

Communication with Farmers and Applicators

The single most effective prevention measure is proactive communication with anyone who applies pesticides near your apiaries. Most bee kills result from a lack of awareness, not malice.

Introduce yourself to neighboring landowners and farmers before the growing season begins
Provide your contact information and ask applicators to notify you before spraying near your bees
Mark your apiary location on maps and share with local applicators and co-ops
Join DriftWatch or FieldWatch — these voluntary registry programs allow beekeepers to map their apiary locations so applicators can check before spraying
Attend local agricultural meetings where spray schedules and practices are discussed

DriftWatch and Apiary Registration

DriftWatch (now part of FieldWatch) is a voluntary online mapping program that allows beekeepers to register their apiary locations. Pesticide applicators can then check the map before spraying to identify nearby sensitive sites.

To register:

Visit fieldwatch.com and create an account
Map your apiary locations using the online tools
Provide accurate contact information
Renew your registration annually

Many states also have mandatory apiary registration programs through the state department of agriculture. These registrations may provide additional notification protections and are often required for pesticide kill reporting and compensation.

Timing and Scheduling

If you know when pesticide applications are planned, you can take protective action:

Close hive entrances the evening before a morning spray application, and reopen once the spray has dried
Use wet towels or burlap draped over hives during application to catch drift — remove and dispose of them afterward
Move hives temporarily if the risk is severe and you have the equipment to do so safely
Request evening or night applications — most pyrethroids and many organophosphates are far less risky when applied after bee flight has ceased for the day

Physical Barriers and Apiary Placement

Where you place your apiary matters:

Distance: Maintain as much distance as possible from treated fields. Even a few hundred yards can significantly reduce drift exposure.
Windbreaks: Hedges, tree lines, and buildings between your apiary and treated fields can intercept drift. A solid windbreak can reduce drift deposition by 50 to 90 percent.
Elevation: Placing hives on higher ground can reduce exposure to heavier-than-air spray droplets and dust that settle in low areas.
Water sources: Provide clean water sources near your hives so bees do not need to forage for water in or near treated fields.

Protective Equipment

For small-scale situations where you know spraying is imminent:

Entrance reducers: Close down the entrance the night before spraying and reopen afterward
Burlap covers: Damp burlap sacks placed over hives during application catch particulate drift — remove and dispose of after the application dries
Screened bottom boards: Keep bottom boards closed during high-risk periods to prevent drift from entering underneath

💡 Relationships are your best defense. A farmer who knows you and your bees is far more likely to notify you before spraying, adjust timing, or choose a less bee-toxic product. Invest in these relationships before you need them.

What to Do If You Suspect a Bee Kill

If you discover dead or dying bees and suspect pesticide poisoning, take immediate action. The steps you take in the first 24 to 48 hours determine whether you can document the event effectively and pursue any available remedies.

Immediate Steps

Do not clean up or disturb the dead bees — this is evidence
Take extensive photographs of dead bees at the hive entrance, on the ground, and inside the hive
Note the date, time, and weather conditions including temperature, wind speed and direction, and any recent rain
Count or estimate the number of dead bees at each affected hive
Record any unusual odors, visible spray drift, or applicator activity you observed
Check all hives in the apiary — not just the ones with obvious dead bees
Note the forage sources your bees are currently working and their direction from the hives

Collecting Samples

Proper sample collection is essential for laboratory analysis. Most state agricultural laboratories and several university labs can analyze bee, pollen, and wax samples for pesticide residues.

Dead bee samples:

Collect at least 100 dead bees (a half-pint mason jar full) from each affected hive
Use a clean scoop or gloved hand — do not use implements that may contaminate samples
Place samples in clean glass jars or new zip-lock bags
Label each sample with the date, hive number, apiary location, and your contact information
Freeze samples immediately if you cannot deliver them to a lab within 24 hours
Do not preserve bees in alcohol — this can interfere with pesticide residue analysis

Pollen and wax samples:

Collect pollen from pollen traps or by scraping pollen cells with a clean tool
Collect small wax samples (approximately 2 inches square) from brood frames
Package and label separately from bee samples
Freeze until analysis

Plant and water samples:

If you can identify the likely forage source that was sprayed, collect plant samples from that area
Collect water samples from any nearby water sources in clean glass containers
Note the GPS coordinates of all sample collection points

Documentation Checklist

Use this checklist to ensure you capture all necessary documentation:

Reporting a Bee Kill

Reporting pesticide-related bee kills serves multiple purposes: it may qualify you for compensation, contributes to regulatory data that can lead to label changes or restrictions, and creates an official record of the event.

Who to Contact

Report the bee kill to as many of the following agencies as appropriate:

State Department of Agriculture — Most states have a pesticide enforcement division that investigates bee kill complaints. They can send an inspector to collect official samples and interview the applicator. This is typically your first and most important contact.
State Apiary Inspector — Your state bee inspector can document colony condition, provide expert assessment, and support your complaint with the department of agriculture.
EPA National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) — Call 1-800-858-7378 or visit npic.orst.edu. NPIC collects incident data that the EPA uses in pesticide risk assessments and registration reviews.
County Agricultural Commissioner — In some states, the county ag commissioner has authority over local pesticide enforcement and can investigate incidents.
Your local cooperative extension office — Extension agents can help with sample submission, documentation, and connecting you with the right state agencies.

What Evidence to Collect

Agencies investigating a bee kill complaint will need:

Documentation of colony health prior to the incident — inspection records, hive weight data, photographs from previous visits
Dead bee samples — collected according to the protocol above, kept frozen
Maps showing apiary location relative to treated fields, including distances and compass directions
Weather records for the date and time of the suspected exposure — use local weather station data
Names of suspected pesticides if known — product names, EPA registration numbers
Applicator information if you know who applied the pesticide — name, company, license number
Colony inventory — number of hives affected, estimated bees lost, frames of brood lost, honey stores affected

Timing Matters

Report the incident as quickly as possible. Many states have deadlines for filing pesticide complaints — often as short as 30 days. Pesticide residues break down over time, so the sooner an inspector can collect samples, the more likely the analysis will detect the responsible compound.

⚠️ File the report even if you are not sure which pesticide caused the kill. The investigating agency can help determine the cause. Your job is to report the event and provide evidence — let the experts do the forensic work.

Working with Landowners and Farmers

Most pesticide exposure incidents are preventable through cooperation between beekeepers and the agricultural community. Approaching these relationships with respect and practical solutions works far better than confrontation.

Initial Outreach

When you establish an apiary in a new location — or at the start of each growing season — reach out to nearby landowners and farmers:

Introduce yourself in person when possible — a face-to-face meeting builds rapport that a letter cannot
Explain that you keep bees nearby and that certain pesticides can harm them
Provide your phone number and ask to be notified before any spraying near your hives
Ask about their crop plans and typical spray schedules so you can anticipate risk periods
Express appreciation for their willingness to work with you

Communication Templates

Initial introduction letter or email:

Keep it brief, friendly, and practical. State who you are, where your bees are located, and that you would appreciate advance notice of any pesticide applications near your apiary. Include your phone number and offer to discuss any concerns they may have about your bees.

Spray notification request:

Provide a simple form or card with your apiary location (including GPS coordinates), your phone number, and a request for 48-hour advance notice of any pesticide applications within a specified radius. Offer to close your hives or move them temporarily if notified in advance.

Cooperative Approaches

Farmers and beekeepers have shared interests. Pollination increases crop yields, and crop flowers provide bee forage. Frame the relationship as mutually beneficial:

Offer pollination services — if you have enough colonies, you may be able to formalize a pollination agreement that includes spray restrictions
Suggest bee-friendly alternatives — many farmers are willing to choose less toxic products, adjust spray timing, or use drift-reduction nozzles if they understand the impact on nearby bees
Share resources — the FieldWatch program, extension service materials on protecting pollinators, and EPA's Pollinator Protection resources are all designed to facilitate cooperation
Volunteer information about your bees' foraging range and current forage sources so farmers can time applications to minimize overlap with bee activity

Lease Agreements

If you keep bees on land owned by someone else, include pollinator protection language in your lease or agreement:

Require notification before any pesticide application on the property
Specify buffer zones or minimum distances from hives
Restrict application of certain highly toxic products during bloom periods
Define the process for temporary hive closure or relocation during applications

Legislative and Regulatory Landscape

The regulatory framework protecting pollinators from pesticide exposure is evolving, often slowly. Understanding the current landscape helps you know your rights and advocate effectively.

Federal Protections

EPA Pollinator Protection Policy: In 2017, the EPA implemented a pollinator protection policy as part of its pesticide registration review process. Under this policy, the EPA evaluates risks to bees when registering new pesticides and during periodic reviews of existing registrations. The agency has imposed some label restrictions on neonicotinoids, including prohibiting certain applications during bloom on bee-attractive crops.

FIFRA (Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act): This is the primary federal law governing pesticide use. Under FIFRA, it is a violation to use a pesticide in a manner inconsistent with its label. If a pesticide label includes pollinator protection language — such as restrictions on application during bloom — applicators are legally required to follow those restrictions.

Endangered Species Act (ESA): The listing of the rusty patched bumblebee as endangered in 2017 has led to increased scrutiny of pesticide registrations and their potential impacts on at-risk pollinators. Some pesticide labels now include specific geographic restrictions in areas where endangered pollinators are found.

State-Level Regulations

Pesticide regulation varies significantly by state:

Apiary registration: Many states require beekeepers to register their apiary locations. Registration may provide notification protections and is often required for pesticide kill reporting.
Pesticide applicator licensing: Commercial applicators must be licensed in all states, and most states require training on pollinator protection as part of the licensing process.
Restricted-use pesticides: Individual states may impose additional restrictions on pesticides beyond federal requirements. Some states have restricted neonicotinoids for certain uses.
Pollinator protection plans: Most states have developed state pollinator protection plans through the MP3 (Managed Pollinator Protection Plan) framework. These plans outline communication strategies, best management practices, and mitigation measures specific to the state's agricultural landscape.

Current Regulatory Developments

Several trends are shaping the future of pesticide regulation as it relates to pollinators:

Neonicotinoid restrictions: While the US has not implemented a broad neonicotinoid ban like the EU, individual states are increasingly restricting their use. States including Maryland, Connecticut, and Vermont have passed laws restricting consumer use of neonicotinoids.
Label improvements: The EPA has been revising pesticide labels to include more specific pollinator protection language, including clearer instructions about application timing relative to bee foraging activity.
Drift reduction technology: New application technologies — including drift-reduction nozzles, enclosed cab systems, and precision application equipment — are reducing off-target pesticide movement.
Pollinator habitat initiatives: Federal programs like the USDA's Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and the Xerces Society's habitat restoration projects are working to increase pollinator forage in agricultural landscapes.

What Beekeepers Should Know

Pesticide labels are legally binding. If an applicator violates label restrictions designed to protect pollinators, they have broken federal law. Document any suspected label violations.
You have the right to report. Filing a bee kill complaint is a protected activity. No one can retaliate against you for reporting a suspected pesticide incident.
State laws vary widely. Know your state's specific requirements for apiary registration, pesticide complaint filing, and any pollinator protection provisions.
Collective action is effective. Joining your state beekeepers association gives you a voice in legislative and regulatory processes that affect your ability to keep bees safely.

References

USDA Agricultural Research Service. "National Survey of Honey Bee Pests and Diseases." 2023.
Bee Informed Partnership. "Colony Loss Survey Results." Annual publications, 2010–2025.
Henry, M., et al. "A Common Pesticide Decreases Foraging Success and Survival in Honey Bees." Science, 336(6079), 2012.
Whitehorn, P.R., et al. "Neonicotinoid Pesticide Reduces Bumble Bee Colony Growth and Queen Production." Science, 336(6079), 2012.
Mullin, C.A., et al. "High Levels of Miticides and Agrochemicals in North American Apiaries: Implications for Honey Bee Health." PLoS ONE, 5(3), 2010.
EPA. "Pollinator Protection: Overview of EPA's Actions to Protect Pollinators." United States Environmental Protection Agency.
Klein, A.M., et al. "Importance of Pollinators in Changing Landscapes for World Crops." Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 274(1608), 2007.
Motta, E.V.S., et al. "Glyphosate Perturbs the Gut Microbiota of Honey Bees." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 115(41), 2018.
Sanchez-Bayo, F. and Goka, K. "Pesticide Residues and Bees — A Risk Assessment." PLoS ONE, 9(4), 2014.
fieldwatch.com — DriftWatch/FieldWatch Apiary Registry.
NPIC (National Pesticide Information Center). Oregon State University and EPA. npic.orst.edu.

Pesticide Exposure: Protecting Your Bees, Recognizing Signs & Reporting Kills

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