Native Pollinators Native Pollinators in Agriculture...

Native Pollinators in Agriculture Project Native Pollinators In Agriculture Project

Utah Partners Workshop September 12, 2012 Ernie Shea Project Coordinator

Native Pollinators in Agriculture Project Background:

Launched in 2006 and sponsored by the National Association of State Conservation Agencies

Initial focus using “free” pollination services as a way to “sell” conservation practices to farmers

Now concentrating on valuable co-benefits: improved soil and water quality, biodiversity and reduced maintenance costs

Native Pollinators in Agriculture Project Project Leaders

Twenty member Steering Committee composed of fruit, vegetable and nut producers; entomologists; conservationists; along with industry and academic advisors

Native Pollinators in Agriculture Project Objectives

Showcase how good, basic conservation practices can benefit pollinators, farm productivity and profitability

Create an integrated group of federal, state and local conservation programs that work in harmony to facilitate the establishment of native pollinator habitat that provides multiple co-benefits.

Native Pollinators in Agriculture Project Pollinator Basics

Declines in pollinator populations are a critical issue and major threat.

Native pollinators can’t replace managed bees but they provide significant pollination services.

15 % of the value of U.S. fruit, nut, vegetable and field crop production can be attributed to pollination services from native pollinators.

Many “fact gaps”. Limited grower awareness of contributions of native

pollinators.

Native Pollinators in Agriculture Project Areas of Focus

Economic Indicators Communications Outreach Enabling Policy Educational Programs

Native Pollinators in Agriculture Project

Fruits and Nuts 2001-2003 Average Value ($millions)

Value of Crop $11,654

Value from insect pollination $ 6,065 (52% dependent)

Value from managed pollinators $ 5,057

Value from native pollinators $ 1,009 (16.6%)

Native Pollinators in Agriculture Project

Apples

2001-2003 Average Value ($millions) Value of Crop $1,585

Value from insect pollination $1,585 (100% dependent)

Value from managed pollinators $1,422

Value from native pollinators $ 163 (10.3%)

Native Pollinators in Agriculture Project

Vegetables

2001-2003 Average Value ($millions) Value of Crop $ 4,087

Value from insect pollination $ 3,828 (94% dependent)

Value from managed pollinators $ 3,227

Value from native pollinators $ 601 (15%)

Native Pollinators in Agriculture Project

Field Crops 2001-2003 Average Value ($millions)

Value of Crop $ 28,753

Value from insect pollination $ 10,191 (35% dependent)

Value from managed pollinators $ 8,722

Value from native pollinators $ 1,469 (17%)

Native Pollinators in Agriculture Project 2012 Work Plan

Widely disseminate information about success growers have achieved using native pollinators to supplement the pollination services provided by managed pollinators

Placing feature articles and opinion pieces in grower

magazines Feeding material to Farm Broadcasters Posting information on the Native Pollinators in Agriculture

website www.agpollinators.org Recruiting corporations, government agencies and NGOs

to join and support the Alliance

Native Pollinators in Agriculture Project

2012 Work Plan Create and strengthen programs and resources to establish pollinator

habitat and increase populations of native and managed pollinators

Encourage State Technical Committees to develop pollinator practice recommendations and prioritize their use

Integrate pollinator protection and habitat enhancement goals into programs

Support communication outreach efforts on value and role of native pollinators

Work to integrate ag producers into NAPPC activities Collaborate on mutually agreed upon enabling policy and funding

initiatives Support for “safe harbor” acts to protect growers who establish pollinator

habitat

Native Pollinators in Agriculture Project

Things Partners Can Do

Join our Native Pollinator Alliance Disseminate information to growers and land

managers Sponsor native pollinator forums Encourage program managers to support pollinator

habitat initiatives Promote “safe harbor” provisions Encourage media contacts to report on free

pollination services from native pollinators

Native Pollinators in Agriculture Project

Irrigation Canal Without Habitat

Irrigation Canal With Habitat

Native Pollinators in Agriculture Project

www.agpollinators.org

Win-Win Strategies: Integrating Native Pollinators into Conservation

and Land Management Practices

Byron Love, PhD Candidate

Utah State University Lab Technician

USDA ARS Pollinating Insects Research Unit

Logan, Utah

Primary Objectives • Introduction to the World of Bees • Dispel Common Myths, Misconceptions and

Mistakes • Totally & Irrevocably Alter Your Perception of Bees...

FOREVER!

Importance of Pollinators •Evolutionary Importance

•Biodiversity •Essential Ecosystem Service

•Plant reproduction •Provide Seed for Animals

•Economic Importance •2/3 of Agricultural Crops

Threats to Pollinators •Habitat loss and degradation •Invasive Species

•Plants •Animals

•Pesticides and other toxins •Climate change?

Pollination of Major Crop Plants 2/3 of our Food Crops Depend on Insects •Apple, Orange, Watermelon Bee •Cabbage, Potato, Artichoke Bee •Almond, Sunflower Bee •Cocoa, Coffee Bee •Tomato Bee (buzz pollination) •Pumpkin Bee (specialist) •Fig Wasp (specialist) •Beef Bee

Pollination: The process of pollen transfer for reproduction in plants

Pollinator: The facilitator of pollination

Pollinators come in all shapes & sizes

Can you recognize a bee? Will the Real Bee please stand up?

Triepeolis (Cleptoparasitic Bee)

Bees & Wasps •Hymenoptera (includes bees wasps & ants) •Similarities: Anatomy and Life Cycle, Social Behavior (or lack of), Nesting Habits

•Differences: Diets (wasps = carnivores, bees = vegetarians), Ecological Function (wasps = wolves, bees = sheep)

•And, of course...the stinger

STINGERS! •Bees & Wasps can sting •Modified egg-laying structure (so only females have one)

•Can sting multiple times •Aggressiveness is a function of sociality

Defining Bee Characteristics •Vegetarians (pollen & nectar) •Scopa (pollen transport structure) •Typically furry •Whistle while they work (wasps snarl)

Bee-ology 101 A Bee or Not a Bee?

Scopa on hind leg (pollen carrying structure)

Bee

Bee-ology 102 A Bee, a Native Bee, or Not a Bee at all?

Apis mellifera Common name: Honeybee

Apis mellifera Common name: Honeybee

Not a Native Bee Introduced species from Europe Primary Managed Pollinator Social Bee

Vesupla Common names: Yellow Jacket, Meat Bee

Not a Native Bee (not even a bee) Bees are Vegetarians (pollen & nectar) Social (like Apis)

Vespula Common names: Yellow Jacket, Meat Bee

Bombus Common name: Bumble Bee

Bombus Common name: Bumble Bee

Native Bee Some species in decline/extinct Not Solitary, but not as Social as Apis

Megachile Common name: Leafcutter Bee

Megachile Common name: Leafcutter Bee

Solitary Native Bee (although some species are non native)

Bee Diversity •20,000 species globally •3,500 species in North America •1,100+ species in Utah •547 species in Cache Valley

Sexual Dimorphism

Holometabolous Life Cycle Butterfly larva: free living Bee larva: confined in cell

Solitary Bee Life Cycle

Implications Majority of life spent in cell No such thing as a “baby” winged bee

Solitary vs Social Bee-havior

Solitary bees: •Single “queen” per nest •Mass provision of cells •No contact or interaction with young •No cooperation between adults •Few cells (offspring) per nest = less to lose (aggressive behavior low)

Social bees: •Single or few queen(s) per nest •Progressive provision of cells •Adults cooperate with brood care •Many offspring per colony = more to lose (aggressive behavior high)

The majority of bees nest underground

Cavity / Above ground nesting bees

Carpenter bees and Bumble bees

J F M A M J J A S O N D

Wintering

Incubation + Emergence

NestingDevelopment

Pre-Wintering Wintering

J F M A M J J A S O N D

Wintering

Incubation + Emergence

NestingDevelopment

Pre-Wintering Wintering

Months of year, January-December

For Almond Pollination

Seasonality

Early Season

Mid Season

All Season

Other Resources Water Leaves Waxes Resins

Diet Pollen & Nectar

Foraging Strategy Specialist vs Generalist

Integrating Bees Into Land Management •Foraging Strategy (generalists vs specialists) •Foraging Season (early, late, full) •Diversity Diversity Diversity •Leave some bare ground for nesting •Avoid thick grasses or mulch

Treatment Coordination Spraying • Avoid broad spectrum

insecticides • Target away from bloom • Spray during dusk with short-

lived insecticides

Wait for nesting activities to be completed Ground nesting species can survive most fires (wild or prescribed)

Mowing & Burning? Not a Problem!

Ride the Pollinator Awareness Wave

• Research opportunities for graduate students (e.g., surveys)

• Coordinate with local native plant societies (adopt a mile?)

• Take advantage of pollinator resources (Xerces Society)

Questions? Ask me now, contact me later Byron.Love@ars.usda.gov agapostemon@gmail.com

Katie Wagner, USU Extension Salt Lake County Horticulture

& Casey Burns, NRCS State Biologist

Indra Swallowtail (Papilio indra indra) utahlepsociety.org

• Pollinator Value • Pollinator Threats • Pollinator Management • Pollinator Planting • Integrated Pest

Management (IPM) • Resources Available For

Pollinator Conservation

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Why Value Pollinators

• Pollinate Crops More than 85% of flowering plants require an animal (mostly insects) to move pollen (Xerces Society, 2011) – Food Source for Wildlife – Food Source for Aquatic

Life (Salmonids) – Pest Management

(Beneficial Insects)

http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1009672

Main Groups of Pollinators

Butterflies Moths

http://www.kidzone.ws/animals/monarch3.jpg

http://amazingnature.us/moths/

Wasps

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c4/Parasitic_wasp.jpg/240px-Parasitic_wasp.jpg

Flies

http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/images/greenfly_lg.jpg

http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/animals/beetles.shtml

Beetles

Crop Pollination • Bees most important

pollinators – 35% of crop production

worldwide – Estimated $18 to $27 Billion

in U.S. ($217 billion worldwide)

(Morse RA, Calderone NW. 2000. The value of honey bees as pollinators of U.S. crops in 2000. Bee Culture 128:1-15. Klein et al. 2007)

– One in three mouthfuls of food

– Watermelon, blueberries, cranberries, apples, carrots, broccoli, almonds, orange juice, coffee, and chocolate

– Thousands of plant species, many native http://lh4.ggpht.com/_3J5iEfA6zQY/TF2VEimowTI

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Native Bees • North America: 4,000 +

species, Utah hosts roughly 20%

• 900 native bee species in Utah

• Most native bees are solitary and are not aggressive

• ‘Some wild bees are superb pollinators of Utah’s tree fruits, raspberries, squashes, melons, and cucumbers’ (Gardening for Native Bees in Utah and Beyond)

http://extension.usu.edu/files/publications/factsheet/plants-pollinators09.pdf

Carder bee (Anthidium)

Native Bees Important Contributors to U.S. Crop Pollination Native Bee Advantageous: • Active Earlier and Later in

Day • Collect Both Pollen and

Nectar • Practice Buzz Pollination

(Bumblebees) • Do Not Need To Be

Rented Photo by Travis Snyder

Important Native Pollinators for Utah Crop Production

• Blue Orchard Bees (Fruit Trees) • Bumblebees (Tomatoes) • Leafcutter and Alkali Bees (Alfalfa)

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Blue Orchard Bees

• Make Contact With Anther and Stigma on Almost Every Visit

• Active During Low Light Levels and Low Temperatures – 33.3 Hours of Foraging in

5 Days – 15+ Hours By Honeybees

(Xerces Society)

Threats to Pollinators

Many Native Pollinators Experiencing Declines – Habitat Fragmentation – Habitat Degradation – Pesticides – Disease and Pests

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Native Bee Decline

Western Bumble Bee • Bombus occidentalis was one of most common bumble bees in western North America

• Now gone from most of the western part of its historic range

• The decline may be caused by a pathogen introduced from commercially reared bumble bee colonies

Xerces Society

Important Bee Management

1. Natural Habitat and Floral Abundance Near Farm Fields and Gardens

2. Diversity Plantings To Offer Varied and Continuous Blooms

3. Maintain Pesticide-Free Habitat

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tristanba/2309762847/

Native Bee Habitat Three Main Groups: 1. Ground Nesting Solitary Bees – Roughly 70% Bees

Easy Access To Sandy Warm Soils 2. Wood Nesting Solitary Bees – Roughly 30% Bees

Abandoned Beetle Tunnels In Snags, Stumps, Brush Piles and Hollow Pithy Stems, Artificial Nests

3. Social Bumblebees - Nests in Abandoned Rodent Burrows, Overgrown Areas, Under Lodged Grasses, and Under Brush Piles

• Conserve Undisturbed or Un-mowed Areas • Protect Possible Overwintering Sites For Queens

Farm Management Considerations

• Identify and protect nest and forage sites; • Avoid tilling where ground nesting bees are present; • Choose cover crop with good nectar and pollen

(buckwheat, clover & vetch); • Allow crops to flower before tilling under; • Protect or develop grassed waterways; • Create pesticide-free buffer zone; • Develop hedgerows with a variety of flowering

shrubs that attract pollinators (elderberry, sumac, blackberry for wood nesting bees);

Important Bee Management

1. Natural Habitat and Floral Abundance Near Farm Fields and Gardens

2. Diversity Plantings To Offer Varied and Continuous Blooms

3. Maintain Pesticide-Free Habitat

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tristanba/2309762847/

Pollinator Plantings • Pollinators need a succession of blooms: spring,

summer, and fall • Locally native plants support more abundant and

species-rich insect communities. • In disturbed landscapes, bees will visit non-

native plants but prefer native flowers. • Plant Masses At Least 3 feet by 3 feet • Varying Flower Shapes & Colors (good bee colors:

blue, purple, white violet, yellow) • At Least 15 to 25 Flower Species • 45% Flowering Plants and Shrubs

Farm Management Considerations

• Locate field within half mile of natural area; • Unutilized land can support pollinators; • Plant diverse crops that bloom at varying times; • Interplant pollinator plants in field or border

field periphery with pollinator plants or shrubs; • Connect pollinator plantings into corridors

whenever feasible; • Structures such as trees may provide pollinators

valuable landmarks for navigation (plus food)!

Native Bee Publication

• Fantastic Reference

• Local Pollinator

Plant List • http://extension.

usu.edu

Pollinator Plant Species for Utah

Lewis Flax (Linum lewisii)

• Lewis flax is pollinated by flies, bees, and other insects

• Cheap, available, and easy to establish • Early bloom period

Penstemons • Palmer’s penstemon

(Penstemons palmerii) is pollinated by bumblebees and visited by hummingbirds

• Early bloom period • Other Penstemons:

– Rocky Mtn – Firecracker – Venus – Narrow leaf – Many more

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

• Only an average pollinator plant

• Cheap, easy to establish and competes with weeds

• Attracts birds, flies and butterflies

• A host plant for the painted lady butterfly

• Long bloom period

Beeplants (Cleome) • Rocky Mtn beeplant (Cleome

serrulata) – later flowering • Yellow beeplant (Cleome lutea) –

earlier flowering • Pollinators include a wide variety

of bees, moths, and butterflies • Very heavily used

Blanketflower (Gaillardia arisata)

• Common landscaping plant, so be sure to get local stock

• Popular with bees • A specialized moth (Schinia

masoni) camouflages itself for protection on the heads of blanketflower

• Mid to late bloom period

Sunflowers (Helianthus) • Common sunflower (Helianthus annuus)

common, widespread, cheap, robust, and easy to establish

• Many other choices of sunflower species, but try to get locally native species

• Pollinators include a wide variety of bees • Mid to late bloom period

Other Forbs

• Balsamroot - early bloom • Gumweed (Grindelia)

– late bloom • Globemallow (Sphaeralcea)

– early to mid bloom • Mountain Beebalm

(Monardella odoratissima) – mid to late bloom

• Lupines - variable

Photos: Rod Gilbert & Eric Eldredge

James, D.G. 2010. Attraction of beneficial insects to flowering endemic perennial plants in the Yakima Valley. Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center, Washington State University. Unpublished raw data.

Native Milkweeds (Asclepias spp.) • High quality nectar source for

pollinators

• Obligate host plants for monarch caterpillars

• Top species for attracting beneficial insects (lady beetles, parasitic wasps, pirate bugs, syrphid flies) in western US vineyards

• Mid season flowering • Problem - $250/lb and not

widely available • Concern – toxic to livestock

Rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus spp.)

• Important late season pollinator plant • May serve to concentrate populations of more

overwintering beneficials than any other plant • Attracted nearly twice as many parasitic wasps • Too much rabbitbrush is usually a sign of a

management issue

Great native flowering shrubs for Utah: • Willows (Salix) • Serviceberry (Amelanchier) • Cherry (Prunus) • Black hawthorne (Crataegus) • Barberry (Mahonia) • Golden currant (Ribes) • Douglas spirea (Spirea) • Skunkbush sumac (Rhus) • Native rose (Rosa) • Rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus)

Photo: Mace Vaughan (Xerces Society)

Cactus • Most species have pollinator benefits • Consider prickly pear, beaver tail, and cholla (Opuntia

spp.) for easy establishment and plentiful flowers • Medium to large bees usually pollinate • Easy to find, harvest, and plant

Flowers in Utah that host specialist bees: • Sunflowers (Helianthus) • Balsamroot (Balsamorhiza) • Globe mallows (Sphaeralcea)

• Willows (Salix) • Primroses (Oenothera) • Squash (Cucurbita)

Flowers in Utah that host specialist bees: • Sunflowers (Helianthus) • Balsamroot (Balsamorhiza) • Globe mallows (Sphaeralcea) • Willows (Salix) • Primroses (Oenothera) • Squash (Cucurbita) • And many more

http://www.bridgerlandaudubon.org/

Beware Invasive Species Pollinator Plant Species for Utah

Important Bee Management

1. Natural Habitat and Floral Abundance Near Farm Fields and Gardens

2. Diversity Plantings To Offer Varied and Continuous Blooms

3. Maintain Pesticide-Free Habitat

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tristanba/2309762847/

Organic-approved pesticides aren’t always safe for bees.

• Pyrethrins = Dangerous for Bees!

• Spinosad = Dangerous for Bees!

• Beauveria bassiana = Dangerous!

Okay when not directly applied to bees (i.e. non-blooming crops or at night):

• Insecticidal soap • Horticultural oil • Neem

Neonicotinoid Systemic Insecticides:

• Increasingly used on crops, ornamental plants, and lawns

• Systemic mode of action

• Residues in pollen and nectar

• Can be persistent over time in plants and soil

Avoid Use Of Pesticides Whenever Possible

Reducing Harm from Neonicotinoids •Avoid application before or during bloom •Avoid repeat annual use in perennial blooming species •Watch out for carry over from previous applications

If Pesticide Use Is Unavoidable, Consult USU Factsheet: ‘Reducing Pesticide Poisoning of Bees’

What is Integrated Management?

Integrated Management is “a comprehensive approach to pest and disease control that uses a combined means to reduce the status or threat of pests or diseases to a tolerable level while maintaining a quality environment”.

Host

Pest or Disease Environment

Components of Integrated Management

• Promote Plant & Ecosystem Health • Education & Communication • Plan Ahead • Scout and Monitor • Use Thresholds • Use Multiple Tactics Based on Insect

or Disease Biology • Use Chemical Control as Last Resort

Pesticides

Maintenance and Cultural Practices

Sanitation

Education and Communication

Fantastic Native Bee Resources

• USU Fact Sheet ‘Gardening For Native Utah Bees and Beyond’

• USU Publication ‘How to Manage the Orchard Bee’ • USU Publication ‘How to Raise Bumblebees At Home:

A Guide to Getting Started’ • Bees.usu.edu • Xerces.org – multiple publications • Farming for Bees & Attracting Native Pollinators • Utahpests.usu.edu • USU Fact Sheet ‘Reducing Pesticide Poisoning of Bees’

USU Utah Botanical Center

Contacts

katie.wagner@usu.edu casey.burns@ut.usda.gov

Photo by Travis Snyder

http://www.beeologics.com/CCD.asp

Colony Collapse Disorder and Other Challenges Faced by Honey Bees

Cory Stanley Bee Specialist

Overview

• Honey bee population decline • Colony Collapse Disorder

– History – Symptoms

• Current research • Future directions

Fig. 3 Numbers of managed honey bee colonies in the United States of America 1944-2008.

Dennis van Engelsdorp , Marina Doris Meixner. A historical review of managed honey bee populations in Europe and the United States and the factors that may affect them. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology Volume 103, Supplement 2010 S80 - S95. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jip.2009.06.011

U.S. Managed Honey Bee Populations

2010-11 Winter Loss Survey

2010-11 Winter Loss Survey

Operation Type Respondents Average Loss Mean (95% CI) Backyard 5220 38.5 (37.5 -39.5) Sideline 163 37.4 (31.7 - 43.2) Commercial 58 28.3 (18.7 – 38.0)

2010-11 Winter Loss Survey

Factor Contributed to Losses Factor Did Not Contribute

Factor n Avg Loss % (95%CI) n Avg Loss % (95%CI)

Starvation 1053 53.7 (51.8–55.7) 1629 54.4 (52.8–56.0)

Weak in the fall 921 52.8 (50.7-54.9) 1761 54.8 (53.3-56.4)

Poor winter 833 64.3 (62.2-66.5) 1849 49.7 (49.1-51.0)

Queen 655 47.5 (45.0-50.0) 2027 54.4 (52.8-56.0)

Varroa 534 59.5 (56.8-62.3) 2148 52.8 (51.4-54.2)

Nosema 317 55.9 (52.3-59.5) 2365 53.9 (52.6-55.3)

CCD 199 65.1 (60.6-69.6) 2483 53.3 (52.0-54.5)

Pesticides 125 58.9 (53.1-64.6) 2557 53.9 (52.7–55.2)

Small hive beetle 96 63.7 (57.1-70.2) 2586 53.8 (52.5-55.0)

Total Losses of Managed Honey Bee Colonies from all Causes

Data are from the annual survey conducted by the USDA, the Bee Informed Partnership and the Apiary Inspectors of America.

Possible Explanations for Decreased Losses in 2011-12

• Warm winter • Research resulting in adoption of new

management strategies • Natural CCD disease cycle • Increased resistance to CCD

Colony Collapse Disorder

• Average 33% annual colony losses since 2006 – about 1/3 of those attributed to CCD

• Symptoms – rapid loss of adult worker bees – few or no dead bees found in the hive – presence of immature bees (brood) – small cluster of bees with live queen present – pollen and honey stores in hive

States Affected by CCD

Source: Bee Alert Inc., “Map of U.S. States Reporting Colony Collapse Disorder,” http://beealert.blackfoot.net/~beealert/USshaded.pdf. Shaded areas show reported affected states. This is the most recent update (as ofDecember 2009).

Research has focused on:

• Pathogens – Nosema spp. – Israeli acute paralysis virus

• Parasites – Varroa mites

• Direct effects • Indirect effects via viral transmission • Synergistic effects

• Management stressors – Poor nutrition – Migratory stress

Scott Bauer, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bugwood.org

Research has focused on:

• Environmental stressors – Pollen and nectar

• Scarcity • Low quality • Lack of diversity (monocultures)

– Water • Limited access • Contaminated supplies

– Pesticide exposure • Lethal • Sub-lethal

http://catherine.bonne.free.fr/agri6b/agri6c.htm

Pesticides

• Survey for 170 pesticides revealed no patterns – Most common pesticide was coumaphos.

• Neonicitinoids (clothianidin, thiamethoxam, and imidacloprid) currently being studied – Greatest danger is at planting time, but sub-lethal

effects occur throughout the season. – Pyrethroids are greater hazard, based on mean and

frequency of detection in pollen samples and relative acute toxicity

• Synergy of fungicides and miticides

Conclusions

• Many contributing factors • Factors and their relative effects still being

studied • Important factors:

– Varroa mites (but not Nosema) • Correlation with Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus

(IAPV) – Difficult to isolate due to correlations and

synergies

Future Directions • Better management practices

– Integrated Pest Management (IPM) • Breeding

– Disease and parasite resistance – Genetic diversity – Grooming behavior – Hygienic behavior

• Education • eXtension.org/bee_health

Future Directions

• Pesticide effects • Alternative pollinators

– Managed pollinators – Wild pollinators