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Ohio State Beekeepers Association
Feb. 14, 2017
Contribution to Ohio Pollinator Health, Protection, and Conservation Plan 2017
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“Beekeeping to Maximize Pollinator Health”
Beekeepers are important educators of non-beekeepers for the value of pollination, the health of
honey bees, and habitat for honey bees, which will also benefit native Ohio pollinators. Ohio
beekeepers are an important stakeholder in advocating, implementing, collaborating, and
educating their fellow beekeepers, agricultural stakeholders, food consumers, public health
administrators, local and state regulators and policy makers about honey bees. Ohio’s s
beekeeping history helped to create beekeeping as an industry. Pollinator protection must
examine and seek remedies to the four factors affecting pollinator health: pesticides, pests,
pathogens, and poor forage. Pollinator Protection is a national priority which all stakeholders
must implement and practice. All Ohioans can gain an understanding of pollinator protection by
understanding the beekeeper’s viewpoint in protecting their livestock (honey bees). Through
education, awareness, and communication beekeepers can work with all Ohioans to protect
honey bees and native pollinators.
History of Beekeeping in Ohio
Ohio has a rich history of beekeeping and honey production, and Ohio was historically the
largest bee-supply manufacturer in the world, and shipped more queens than any other state. Rev.
Lorenzo Langstroth, the “father of American Beekeeping,” developed the movable frame hive
and received a patent for the design in 1852. After 1858 Langstroth made Oxford, Ohio, his
residence, and devoted his time to beekeeping. The Langstroth Cottage, the home where he lived
from 1858 to 1887 is designated a National Historic Landmark. It was donated to Western
College for Women and is today home to the Miami University Center for the Enhancement of
Learning and Teaching. Langstroth is buried at Woodland Cemetery in Dayton, Ohio.
Ohio is also the historic home of the “father of modern beekeeping,” A.I. Root. In 1869
an innovative beekeeper named Amos Ives Root founded the A.I. Root Company, specializing in
honey, beeswax, and beekeeping supplies. He was behind many advances in bee keeping,
leading the movement to standardizing beekeeping equipment. He founded a magazine for
beekeepers named Gleanings In Bee Culture which the Ohio company, Root Candles, still
publishes today as Bee Culture magazine.
The Ohio State Beekeepers Association (OSBA) first established in 1888 now represents
more than 2,000 Ohio beekeepers.
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Beekeeper survey data
In a December 2016 survey of OSBA members, 622 beekeepers responded to nine questions.
Results summary
76.5% belong to a local beekeeping association
44.5% of beekeepers have 3-11 hives
34.1% of beekeepers have 0-2 hives
8.5% have 12-20 hives
4.3% have 21-35 hives
2.4% have 36-50 hives
4.7% have 51-100 hives
1.4% have 101+ hives
The survey respondents sold honey (57.7%), wax (25%), Pollen (7.3%), propolis (6.6%) with
sales from these products ranging from less than $500 to more than $20,000.
What is your approximate sales volume?
54.4% less than $500
17.9% $500-$1,999
8.2% $2,000-$4,999
4.3% $5,000-$19,999
3.2% $20,000+
11.9% CHOSE NOT TO ANSWER
Beekeepers in this survey have been keeping bees from one to more than twenty-one years;
43.6% have been keeping bees from 1-4 years.
How long have you been beekeeping?
1-4 years 43.6%
5-10- years 33.4%
11-15 years 8.8%
16-20 years 3.7%
21+ years 10.5%
Beekeepers in Ohio support honey bee research through the distribution of funds raised by the
State Honey Bee License plate. Additional OSBA program support all things bees through the
Oasis Pollinator Seed mix for habitat, the OSBA Master Beekeeper education program, a 4-H
partnership education /mentoring program supporting the next generation of beekeepers, the
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OSBA Affiliate Program (strengthening local associations), the OSBA Pavilion at the Ohio State
Fair providing education to the public. OSBA hosts an annual education conference, as well as
podcasts, and a beekeeping instructional DVD which is sold across the US. OSBA recently
received a Specialty Crop Block Grant from the UDA/Ohio Dept. of Agriculture to support the
creation, distribution, and education for an Apiary Diagnostic Kit to aid beekeepers in pest and
pathogen monitoring of their hives.
How you can help protect pollinators:
If you are a beekeeper, become a member of local beekeeping association, and Ohio State
Beekeepers Assn. http://www.ohiostatebeekeepers.org/
Learn how you can provide native bee habitat; build a mason bee house, or butterfly house, and
more at http://www.xerces.org/wp-
content/uploads/2008/11/nests_for_native_bees_fact_sheet_xerces_society.pdf
Visit the OSU Extension Bee website to learn more about Ohio pollinators
http://u.osu.edu/beelab/
Pollinator Habitat
Local beekeepers are integral to supporting the development of local community level pollinator
habitat development and long-term management of this habitat. Encouraging roadside, right-of-
way, and conservation areas planted in pollinator habitat will support the diverse nutrition
necessary for honey bees and native pollinators across Ohio. OSBA will continue to work with
Ohio Pollinator Habitat Initiative partners to expand pollinator habitat.
The Ohio State Beekeepers Association partners with Ohio Prairie Nursery, an Ohio-based seed
company (http://www.ohioprairienursery.com/ ), developing a specific Pollinator Oasis Seed
mix. This seed mix is promoted by Ohio State Beekeepers to its members, and the public, as
well as through Ohio Prairie Nursery. This seed mix provides for diverse nutrition for
pollinators across the growing season for flowers native to Ohio. Beekeepers planting habitat on
their own lands is key to educating others of the value of pollinator habitat, not just for
pollinators, but also for water conservation, prevention of soil erosion, and food sources for
birds.
The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company’s charitable foundation provides the GRO1000 Grassroots
Grants award program, inviting non-profit organizations from across the country to apply for
funds to improve their communities. From edible gardens to pollinator habitats, urban farms to
sensory gardens, GRO1000 supports all types of community-driven greenspace projects and
places priority on programs that heavily involve youth. The 2017 GRO1000 Grassroots Grants
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application is available online at www.GRO1000.com. Grants range from $500 to $1,500 and are
awarded based on youth engagement, community impact, harvest donation, and sustainability,
among other factors. This Ohio grant program offers opportunities for beekeepers to partner
with local schools, metroparks, community centers, churches, and similar community groups to
plant pollinator habitat locally. OSBA will act as the nonprofit fiscal agent for groups to develop
local pollinator habitat projects. These small habitat projects are a catalyst for local education,
and individual behavior change toward valuing pollinators.
The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Services may provide funds to assist farmers in
planting pollinator habitat. This funding fluctuates with each federal Farm Bill, and may be
limited in scope to specific agricultural areas of Ohio. Information on current pollinator
conservation programs can be found at
https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/programs/ .
The Ohio State University Extension maintains links to pollinator planting guides that are
instructive for beekeepers, and non-beekeepers at http://u.osu.edu/beelab/native-plants-for-
native-pollinators/
How you can help protect pollinators:
Encourage roadside, right-of-way, and conservation areas planted in pollinator habitat.
Plant the OSBA Pollinator Oasis Seed mix on your own land.
http://www.ohiostatebeekeepers.org/ohio-pollinator-oasis-seed-packet/
This GRO1000 grant program offers opportunities for beekeepers to partner with local schools,
metroparks, community centers, churches, and similar community groups to plant pollinator
habitat locally. https://scottsmiraclegro.com/responsibility/gro1000/
Farmers can learn about current pollinator conservation programs at
https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/programs/ .
Honey Bee Pests and Pathogens
Current high levels of colony losses, a yearly average of 46.99% for the last four years (Bee
Informed Partnership surveys), will lead to a collapse of the honey bee industry in Ohio. These
high losses of managed honey bee colonies not only incur an economic hardship on the
beekeeping industry, but also jeopardize the availability of quality, abundant, affordable food for
Ohio consumers. High colony losses and associated costs create a natural barrier to entry
thereby crippling the future of the beekeeping industry in our state.
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A large percentage of these losses are attributed to a lack of diverse forage, pests and diseases,
and an increased use of pesticides. Beekeepers need the appropriate tools and training to help
them monitor their hive for pests, diseases, and other environmental variables that impact the
viability of their hives. Beekeepers do not currently have a portable, easy to use, and effective
laboratory that can provide them the analysis they need to make informed decisions on the health
of the hives. There is no standardized monitoring kit currently available that will help
beekeepers increase their understanding of the health of the hive.
Ohio State Beekeepers Association will support Ohio’s bee industry, provide technical and direct
support to beginner beekeepers, and help reduce colony loss due to pests and disease by creating
a monitoring management system to include a portable lab, accompanying videos, and
instructors for local association meetings. OSBA will provide direct support in the form of an
Apiary Diagnostic Kit (ADK), funded by a USDA/Ohio Dept. of Agriculture grant, for up to 700
new beekeepers who have graduated from a beginning beekeeping class. Educators will visit up
to 30 local associations (68% of total associations in Ohio) to provide training in monitoring for
pests and diseases, and on-line videos demonstrating proper monitoring techniques.
Because most beekeepers are unaware of appropriate monitoring methods pest and disease issues
can reach critical mass in the hive. OSBA’s Apiary Diagnostic Kit educational program will help
change beekeeper behavior by providing three avenues of education: local association meeting
training, free on-line videos demonstrating each part of the kit, and a portable diagnostic kit they
can purchase (or build their own) for use during apiary visits.
The project will provide in-depth, current data, and tools to aid beekeepers in confronting the
diseases and pests facing today's honey bees. This project will:
Ensure that new beekeepers incorporate monitoring for honey bee health as part of their
regular hive inspections
Educate beekeepers across Ohio about the importance, and simplicity, of proper
monitoring techniques for hive sustainability
Provide beekeepers who may not be affiliated with local associations the opportunity to
learn about proper monitoring techniques by providing educational materials on-line
Reduce yearly hive losses by 10% in Ohio by 2018
This project will benefit over 700 new beekeepers in Ohio, along with the current 5,000
registered beekeepers in our state. It will also benefit consumers by helping to curtail the
increasing costs that beekeepers face when replacing yearly hive losses; costs that are passed on
to consumers in honey prices and produce prices as a result of increased costs of renting
pollinators by farmers.
Over 5000 registered beekeepers in Ohio will have access to the training and tools to help create
honey bee colony sustainability. This project will help reduce the increasing costs of colony
replacement, along with limiting the need to import honey bees from outside of Ohio, while also
reducing the possibility of introducing pests and diseases from outside the state.
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Consumers’ concern about the environment and the increasing stress placed on pollinators will
benefit from this project because it will help ensure affordable and abundant food from Ohio’s
farmers.
Ohio’s farmers will benefit from this project because it will ensure that honey bees will be
available to pollinate their crops, and increase their crop yields.
Through regular, knowledgeable hive monitoring, healthier bees survive the winter and the
colonies can then be increased using survivor bees, rather than replacements. Nucleus colonies
can be created and sold to beekeepers, rather than purchasing out of state packages that are not
adapted to the Ohio environment. New beekeepers will be more successful with nucleus
colonies than with packages of honey bees, which have a high mortality rate. This last year
alone, over 800 people enrolled in local association beekeeping classes. If each of them
purchased two locally produced nucleus hive, the income for the Ohio beekeeping industry
would be $232,000 each year.
How you can help protect pollinators:
Refrain from applying pesticides to any plant in bloom.
Reduce overall pesticide use to allow beneficial insects to protect your plants.
https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/pnw591
If you are a beekeeper, attend a beekeeping meeting presentation about the Apiary Diagnostic
Kit. Obtain the OSBA Apiary Diagnostic Kit for yourself, and use it in your bee yard.
http://www.ohiostatebeekeepers.org/apiary-diagnostic-kit/
If you are a beekeeper, nucleus colonies can be created and sold to beekeepers, rather than
purchasing out of state packages that are not adapted to the Ohio environment.
http://www.ohiostatebeekeepers.org/category/classifieds/
Pollinator Exposure to Pesticides
Ohio’s diverse landscape, and land use presents different pesticide use applications that impact
pollinators. According to the USDA, “Ohio farmers rely on bees to pollinate more than 70
crops.” The pesticide label advises the user the mitigation measures to protect off-target
organisms. The environmental hazard section of the label advises the pesticide user/ applicator
of mitigation measures to protect organisms such as honey bees. Ohio State University
Extension (http://u.osu.edu/beelab/pesticides-and-bees/ ) lists resources to advise homeowners,
pesticide applicators, farmers, public land managers, and others about protecting pollinators from
pesticides. Many of their resources were created by other state extension services. Oregon State
University Extension provides guidance on preventing bee poisoning from pesticides in a smart
app, as well as a PDF document for download at
https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/pnw591 .
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Washington State Dept. of Agriculture advises the following “10 ways to protect bees from
pesticides:”
1.Avoid applying any pesticides, including insecticides and fungicides, during bloom on
ornamental plants that attract bees, like heather, lavender, linden, rhododendron and rose. Bees
and other insects may be harmed if they consume nectar or pollen containing pesticides.
2. Apply pesticides only after flower petals have fallen, when ornamental plants are less
attractive to bees. This will reduce the risk to bees coming in contact with pesticides.
3. If you must spray ornamental plants that are in bloom, WSDA recommends you choose a
pesticide that is less toxic to bees. The Oregon State University extension publication “How to
Reduce Bee Poisoning from Pesticides” has information on the toxicity of pesticides to bees.
Visit www.pubs.wsu.edu for a copy of this publication.
4. Follow any specific requirements to protect bees on the pesticide label. The WSU Pesticide
Information Center Online (PICOL) has a database of pesticides approved for sale in
Washington.
5. Read the label to see if the pesticide contains a neonicotinoid insecticide with these
ingredients:
• Clothianidin
• Dinotefuran
• Imidacloprid
• Thiamethoxam
Insecticides containing these ingredients should only be used after flower petals have fallen,
because they may be highly toxic to bees for several days after application.
6. Avoid applying these neonicotinoid insecticides by soil drench or tree injection methods to
plants known to attract bees. These methods may contaminate nectar and pollen for up to several
years after the insecticide is applied.
7. If you must use soil drench or tree injection to apply these neonicotinoid insecticides, do it
after flower petals have fallen and use the lowest possible effective dosage to help reduce the risk
to bees. Also, try to select an insecticide that offers the shortest persistence in ornamental plants
while still controlling the pest.
8. When buying ornamental plants that are known to attract bees, try to buy plants not treated
with insecticides containing any of the 4 ingredients listed above.
9. For more advice on pesticide use and protecting bees, consider contacting your local branch of
the Washington State University Master Gardener Program by visiting gardening.wsu.edu and
look for the Master Gardener link.
10. Educate yourself.
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Beekeepers should educate themselves about the pesticides used within the forage areas of their
bees in order to offer insights to farmers and growers of alternative products, application timing,
pollination timing, and protection of pollinator habitat.
Beekeepers, farmers, pesticide applicators, home owners, and food consumers should educate
themselves about pesticide products and use.
The pesticide label is the law
A pesticide label which defines the directions for use which includes “do not apply to blooming
crops or weeds,” is stating federal law. This guideline is meant to protect all pollinators.
Voluntary registrations of bee colonies, sensitive crops, etc. are voluntary with no enforcement
mechanism to ensure their purpose. Development of a “real-time” web-based application for
mandatory recording of pesticide use would be helpful in Ohio to track pesticide use so the
information can be used to protect pollinators. Ohio maintains its Primacy under the Federal
Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), by demonstrating their enforcement
programs are active and in compliance with FIFRA. Ohio should report all pesticide incidents
to the federal EPA to ensure EPA has the valuable data of real-world pesticide use, as this is
important data to guide changes to the pesticide label for its safe use. Moving bee colonies with
a 24-48 hour notice prior to pesticide applications is not a reasonable mitigation measure for
beekeepers. Notification to move bees places all of the responsibility of bee kills upon the
beekeeper. Failure to move bees makes a bee incident the fault of the beekeeper. If the pesticide
label is the federal law, the use guidelines per the label are the enforceable language, “do not
apply to blooming crops or weeds.” Native pollinators are not notified of pending pesticide
applications, and instead are sacrificed; reducing crop yield, and reducing the diversity of the
landscape. The Ohio Pollinator Health, Protection, and Conservation Plan is a guide to protect
all of Ohio’s pollinators, managed honey bees, and native pollinators.
Pesticide use in Ohio Affecting Beekeepers
Ohio has registered 13,000 pesticides for use in the state. Pesticide use maps by the U.S.
Geological Survey are estimates, and comprise only agricultural usage. Studies have shown
home gardeners may use on average more fertilizer and pesticides per square foot than farmers
do in their fields. The level of pesticides applied to crops, for mosquito control, onto lawns, the
half-life of residues for weeks, months, and years remaining in the soil, water, and sediment is
problematic for pollinators, as well as other wildlife. While this data is not current, it shows the
trend of pesticide use, increase of pesticide use on crop types, and shows use across Ohio.
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For this document only a few labelled bee toxic pesticides used in Ohio are presented.
Additional pesticide use maps can be found at https://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/pnsp/usage/maps/
-- Acetamiprid
-- Bifenthrin
-- Clothianidin
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Extended residual toxicity and systemic pesticides should not be applied to pollinator attractive
crops or weeds in bloom, or be allowed to drift or translocate into pollinator forage. Integrated
Pest Management practices (IPM) should be implemented when applying pesticides during
bloom, encouraging the use of short residual toxicity products, and to apply them at night.
-- imidacloprid
-- Thiamethoxam
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Commercial beekeepers need access to pesticide-free pollinator forage on public lands (or on
lands receiving short residual toxicity pesticides applied at night) to provide refuges for their
honey bee livestock between crop pollination, and to make a honey crop.
Moving or covering hives so pesticides can be applied is not a reasonable mitigation strategy
(except in rare circumstances).
Mosquito control products should be applied at night when mosquitos are most active, and
pollinators are not. Even though the federal pesticide label allows for exceptions to application
guidelines for public health, pollinators and human health can be protected through night
applications of short residual toxicity products. Concerns for control of day-time flying/feeding
mosquitoes (those that may carry the Zika virus), must coordinate efforts for public health
concerns to protect pollinators and public health. For example, the State Health Department of
Tennessee has developed a policy to notify registered beekeepers directly when the State will
apply pesticide controls for Zika carrying mosquitoes within an eight mile radius of the spray
zone.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
The urban and suburban areas of Ohio
experience pesticide applications by
individual homeowners, lawn-care
companies, golf course managers, and
public land managers. Integrated pest
management (IPM) is inconsistently
practiced, and pesticides are often used as
the first line of defense instead of using
biological or cultural controls. A cultural
control to limit pests entering a building
would be to keep the trash receptacles a
distance from the building, and reduce
pesticide use. IPM is “a process you can
use to solve pest problems while
minimizing risks to people and the
environment. IPM can be used to manage
all kinds of pests anywhere—in urban, agricultural, and wildland or natural areas.” according to
the University of California.
Chemical controls are one tenth of an IPM program. Whether IPM is followed for crop
protection, or as part of beehive management, IPM is successful when the control processes are
integrated.
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Conservation biological control (CBC) is a strategy that integrates beneficial arthropods into
crop systems for natural pest control, and CBC recommendations included in state pollinator
plans can work hand-in-hand with many pollinator conservation strategies. For example, the
creation of pollinator habitat also acts as habitat for valuable pest predators and parasitoids.
Communities of native predators and parasitoids work together to regulate pests in healthy
agroecosystems. Such interactions are enhanced by conserving and restoring habitat.
Conservation biological control (CBC) as part of pollinator protection will:
1. Include actions to limit the use of harmful pesticide mixtures during bloom;
2.Respond to the concerns posed by systemic insecticides;
3. Promote greater caution with fungicide use;
4. Ensure pollinators are protected from the indirect effects of herbicides;
5. Make note that night applications can be harmful to some beneficial insects;
6. Promote the inclusion of pesticide use setbacks and vegetative buffers to limit movement of
pesticides to pollinator habitat;
7. Include a list of resources regarding best management practices to mitigate pesticide risks;
8. Encourage Efforts to Reduce the Impacts of Tillage on Ground Nesting Bees.
Ohioans Reducing Pesticide Exposures
Ohio communities have addressed concerns of pesticide use. Individual landowners and
community groups partnering with Beyond Pesticides worked with the iconic Shaker Square
Shopping Center, to cease the use of using lawn pesticides on its turf. According to Beyond
Pesticides, “In 2014 and Ongoing: University Circle Institutions including Case Western
Reserve University, University Hospitals, the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Cleveland
Institute of Art are participating in our Creating Sustainable Buildings and Grounds
Project. Their soil was analyzed and reports and recommendations written and they are well on
their way to implementing comprehensive sustainable pest control practices and policies.” “In
2012 Beyond Pesticides Ohio led the educational effort that resulted in Cuyahoga County
passing landmark legislation banning pesticides from all county owned properties indoors and
outdoors.” “In 2010 Beyond Pesticides Ohio worked closely with University Circle's executive
director Chris Ronayne. As a result, all six acres of University Circle's Wade Oval are organic
and pesticide free.” More information about this program can be found at
http://www.beyondpesticidesohio.org/beyond-pesticide-ohios-success-stories.html
Vandalia, Ohio has been certified as a “Bee City.” According to Bee City USA, their “program
endorses a set of commitments, defined in a resolution, for creating sustainable habitats for
pollinators, which are vital to feeding the planet.” More information can be found at
http://www.beecityusa.org/
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How you can help protect pollinators:
Beekeepers should educate themselves about the pesticides used within the forage areas of their
bees in order to offer insights to farmers and growers of alternative products, application timing,
pollination timing, and protection of pollinator habitat. http://npic.orst.edu/npicfact.htm
Individuals can practice the 10 ways to protect bees from pesticides.
http://agr.wa.gov/fp/pubs/docs/388-tenwaystoprotectbeesfrompesticides.pdf
Read and understand pesticide labels fully and completely before using.
http://npic.orst.edu/health/readlabel.html
Be aware of how pesticides are used in your neighborhood, your city, and across Ohio.
http://www.agri.ohio.gov/apps/odaprs/pestfert-PRS-index.aspx
Learn how you can implement Integrated Pest Management and conservation biological control
where you live, work, play, and garden. http://www2.ipm.ucanr.edu/WhatIsIPM/
Institutions and corporations can protect pollinators by participating in Beyond Pesticides’
Creating Sustainable Buildings and Grounds Project.
http://www.beyondpesticidesohio.org/creating-sustainable-grounds-and-buildings-project.html
Consider making your city a “Bee City USA.” http://www.beecityusa.org/
Beekeeper / Grower Communication to Protect Pollinators
The Ohio Sensitive Crop Registry (OSCR) http://www.agri.ohio.gov/scr/ is a “free and secure
web map showing locations in Ohio which are susceptible to damage by pesticide drift or off-
target applications. Information is voluntarily provided and mapped by commercial plant
producers and beekeepers. These maps and lists of locations are made available to pesticide
applicators and other Registry users. This registry is reserved for commercial plant and fish
producers, beekeepers, and pesticide applicators. Commercial plant production includes
orchards, nurseries, greenhouses, tomato and grape productions as well as organic crops.
Sensitive habitats are currently not included on the Registry, nor is this site intended for
homeowners or individuals with pesticide sensitivity. Using OSCR is a simple way of informing
pesticide applicators that your production area is sensitive to pesticides.”
Ohio State Beekeepers Association recognizes the value of the OSCR for agricultural areas.
However, not all beekeepers are “commercial beekeepers” working around “commercial plant
production.” When the OSCR is promoted to all Ohio beekeepers it provides a false sense of
protection from pesticides. The OSCR is a voluntary program for beekeepers and farmers to
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register with it, and it is voluntary for pesticide applicators to review it prior to applying
pesticides. The OSCR does not protect beekeepers in urban areas from pesticides applied to
lawns or for mosquito control. Even if “commercial bees” are near “commercial plant
production” notifying a beekeeper to move their bees is not a reasonable mitigation measure.
Contacting beekeepers “24 hours in advance before using a product that is labeled to be toxic to
honey bees, if the crop to be treated is in bloom, greater than half an acre, and within a half-mile
of a registered and labeled apiary,” may meet the specific pesticide label guidelines, but it will
not protect pollinators. As the OSCR website states, “Good relations and communication with
your neighbors remains the best way to reduce the risk of pesticide damage.” Relying upon a
mapping website which is completely voluntary, and restricted to only commercial plant
production, and commercial beekeepers, provides a false sense of protection for all of Ohio’s
beekeepers.
The Honey Bee Health Coalition (HBHC)-Beekeeper and Grower Communication Tools
“Proactive communication between growers, applicators and beekeepers is essential to protect honey
bees from unintended pesticide exposure. Beekeeper and landowner cooperation based on mutual
interests is important to mitigate risks of pesticide exposure to pollinators.” HBHC
http://honeybeehealthcoalition.org/growers-and-beekeepers-role/
The following information is from the Honey Bee Health Coalition Beekeeper and Grower
Communication Tools. http://honeybeehealthcoalition.org/growers-and-beekeepers-role/
15
16
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Best Management Practices for Beekeepers by Ohio State Beekeepers Association
18
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Ohio State Beekeepers Association (OSBA) has Best Management Practices (BMP) for
responsible beekeeping. These BMPs are intended as a reference and standard for honey bee
management for the state of Ohio.
It may serve as:
·A resource for information to enhance community confidence in the safety of Beekeeping
activities.
·A standard reference for avoiding potential complaints or conflicts about beekeeping
activities.
·A compendium of best management practices that all Ohio beekeepers are encouraged to
follow.
Most beekeepers are “backyard/part-time” beekeepers. Beekeepers are and want to be good
neighbors. OSBA facilitates the exchange of experience, and helps beekeepers stay informed of
recommended changes in beekeeping practices, including the use of pesticides, and in- hive
treatments, integrated pest management, new threats to honey bee health, and government
regulations.
The recommended practices for maintaining honey bees in managed colonies include:
1. Comply with all homeowner association, Local, State, and Federal ordinances,
regulations, and laws pertaining to beekeeping: Ohio Revised Code regarding Apiaries
and Honey bees http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/909 Apiary registration form:
http://www.ohiostatebeekeepers.org/reg/ (Apiary registration is REQUIRED by State
Law) 2. Have knowledge of honey bee behavior and beekeeping and we recommend completing an
Introductory Beekeeping course offered by a beekeeping association or Master Beekeeper
(often called a Short Course), and stay current on issues of colony health and management.
3. Allow inspection by Ohio Department of Agriculture County Apiary Inspector.
4. Maintain strong, healthy, populous colonies.
a. Remove/securely seal all empty hive equipment.
b. Remove or combine all weak colonies.
c. Properly treat with an approved product, following all label instructions, or remove all
disease and/or pest infested colonies.
5. Practice proper management and control techniques to prevent colonies from swarming.
6. Maintain all colonies at least 10 feet away from property lines. (In accordance with local
Laws)
7. Place all colonies less than 40 feet from property lines behind a barrier no less than 6 feet in
height. Barriers should be of sufficient density to establish bee flyways above head height.
8. Maintain a water source within 50 feet of colonies or less than one-half the distance to the
nearest unnatural water source, whichever is closest for urban and suburban apiaries.
9. Do not establish an apiary within 50 feet of any animal that is tethered, penned, kenneled, or
otherwise prevented from escaping a stinging incident.
10. Avoid opening or disturbing colonies when neighbors or the general public are participating
in outside activities or using machinery within 150 feet of an apiary.
11. Maintain colonies with honey bee races of European honey bees (EHB).
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a. Purchase queens, packaged bees, and nucleus colonies from reputable sources outside of
Africanized honey bee, (AHB), infested areas or localities adjacent to AHB infested areas.
The current distribution in the U.S. can be seen at http://ars.usda.gov/AHBmap .
For a list of Ohio Suppliers visit : http://www.ohiostatebeekeepers.org/bees
b. Re-queen when making divisions and splits of established colonies.
c Replace queens in all captured or trapped swarms.
d. Replace queens in all colonies every two years.
e. Mark queens prior to introduction to splits, swarms, and colonies.
12. Replace queens and destroy all drone brood in colonies exhibiting defensive behavior that
may be injurious to the general public or domesticated animals.
13. Treat all honey bees with respect. Treating all honey bees with respect is a fundamental
pillar of beekeeping as honey bees are indispensable and important to the human food supply.
Key points to remember for all beekeepers:
Check your zoning laws (http://www.ohiostatebeekeepers.org/resources/ohio-apiary-
laws/ )
Register your bees http://www.ohioagriculture.gov/divs/plant/apiary/apiary.aspx
Join a local beekeeping association
(http://www.ohiostatebeekeepers.org/associations/local-associations/ )
Education
The first and most critical step in responsible beekeeping is education. All beekeepers should
have a solid understanding of honey bee biology and basic beekeeping methods. The OSBA also
encourages all beekeepers to join the OSBA and enroll in the OSBA Master Beekeeper program.
OSBA presents an annual state conference where Ohio beekeepers can continue their beekeeping
education learning from state and national beekeeping experts on relevant topics on colony
health.
Beekeepers need to stay up-to-date on recommended changes in all aspects of beekeeping. One
way to do so is to become a member of a beekeeping association that holds regular (preferably
monthly) meetings. For a list of associations visit www.ohiostatebeekeepers.org/associations
Disease Control
There are a number of honey bee diseases and pests. Some, like American Foulbrood, are
extremely contagious. American Foulbrood can only be destroyed by burning the bees, honey,
wax, and woodenware. Antibiotics, which are allowed in Ohio, for the treatment of American
Foulbrood only mask the disease, it does not destroy it. Beekeepers should be extremely
cautious about mixing hive equipment and purchasing used equipment.
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Swarming While swarming is natural honey bee behavior, it is one that should be prevented or minimized,
especially in urban and suburban settings. Two primary causes of swarming are congestion and
poor ventilation in the hive. Swarm management practices are explained in detail in most
beekeeping books.
Considerate Hive Management
Prior to setting up your hives it is a good idea to inform your neighbors where you intend to
place the hives. Weather conditions influence bee behavior. Plan to work bees when conditions
are favorable. Beekeepers should make sure that neighbors are not working or relaxing outdoors
when they open hives and should perform hive manipulations as quickly as possible with
minimum disturbance to the bees. Extended hive manipulations, particularly when removing
honey, should be carefully planned to accommodate neighbors’ activities. Smoke should be used
when working bees.
Hive Placement
Correct hive placement is a critical consideration for responsible beekeeping in urban and
suburban settings. Wherever possible, hive openings should face toward the southeast. It is best
to place the hive in a sunny area, not on the top of a hill, nor at the bottom of a hollow. Hives
must be placed in a quiet area of the lot and not directly against a neighboring property unless a
solid fence or dense plant barrier of six feet or higher forms the property boundary. Hives should
be kept away from roads, sidewalks and rights of way. Flight paths into the hive should remain
within the owner’s lot. Barriers, including solid fencing, hedges and shrubs more than six feet
high may be used to redirect bees’ flight pattern.
Colony Temperament and Behavior
While generally docile, honey bees can sting. A colony’s temperament is determined by its
queen’s characteristics. Its behavior is affected by temperament, health and environmental
factors such as weather and proximate activities. Every effort should be made to maintain a
docile and non-defensive colony. Guidance on selecting queens, maintaining hive health, and
mitigating environmental consequences follows.
Ohio State Beekeepers Association encourages beekeepers to follow all State and Local Laws
pertaining to beekeeping. These best management practices may not be suited to every
Beekeeper in every situation.
Ohio Apiary Inspection Program (Ohio Revised Code section 909)
The Ohio Apiary inspection program was first created by the Ohio General Assembly by H.B. 28
and signed into existence on April 21, 1904. Its primary focus was to curtail the spread of
American Foulbrood, a highly infectious bacterial disease of honey bee larva. Over the years the
revised code has been updated, the latest revision in 1994. However, the purpose has remained
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substantially the same, to provide an inspection service to beekeepers that aids in curtailing the
spread of various diseases, pests, and parasites of honey bees.
The program is a cooperative program between the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) and
county commissioners of Ohio's 88 counties. The ODA provides oversight of the program and
training to the commissioner-appointed county inspector. The commissioners may or may not
approve funding for such position or even make such appointment.
In more recent years both the Ohio Honey Bee Emergency Action Plan (March 2006) and the
Report of the Ohio Honey Bee Task Force (Am. Sub. H.B. No.1 in the 128th G.A. biennium
budget bill, report date 9/30/2010) recognized the importance of a well maintained apiary
inspection program. Both documents recognized the importance of a central agency for honey
bee disease control, education of a well-trained inspection staff, and a central agency should a
honey bee emergency occur.
One of Ohio’s neighboring states has dropped their state Apiary Program, and the result is an
increase of American Foulbrood disease in the neighboring Ohio counties. Approximately 82%
of all counties in Ohio have a County Inspector.
The major problem with the current program is the budget cuts which began in the early 2000s.
The budget cuts have made it impossible for the ODA to maintain a properly staffed and trained
apiary program thereby jeopardizing the health of the honey bee industry in Ohio. This further
jeopardizes the pollination of several crops across the state. The Ohio Apiary Program could be
strengthened by increasing the education of the inspectors, and having pay and job guidelines
consistent throughout the state.
How you can help protect pollinators:
As a beekeeper you can implement the OSBA Best Management Practices for Beekeepers.
http://www.ohiostatebeekeepers.org/resources/beekeeping-best-management-practices/
Individuals who come across a swarm of bees can obtain contact information for beekeepers
who will collect a swarm at http://www.ohiostatebeekeepers.org/swarm-removal
Local policy makers can refer to the OSBA Best Management Practices for local ordinances.
http://www.ohiostatebeekeepers.org/resources/beekeeping-best-management-practices/
State policy makers can work with beekeepers, county commissioners, and the Ohio Dept. of
Agriculture Apiary Inspection Program to maintain a properly staffed and trained apiary
program thereby protecting the health of the honey bee industry and the pollination of crops in
Ohio. http://www.ohioagriculture.gov/divs/plant/apiary/apiary.aspx
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Resources
Ohio State Beekeepers Association, http://www.ohiostatebeekeepers.org/
Report a bee kill, http://www.ohiostatebeekeepers.org/resources/pesticide-kill-reporting/
Honey bee swarm removal, http://www.ohiostatebeekeepers.org/swarm-removal
Pollinator Conservation http://www.xerces.org/pollinator-conservation/
Great Lakes Region Pollinator Plant list http://www.xerces.org/wp-
content/uploads/2014/03/GreatLakesPlantList_web.pdf
Value of Bee Pollination to Ohio Agriculture,
http://www.ohiostatebeekeepers.org/resources/ohio-fact-sheets/value-of-bee-pollination-to-ohio-
agriculture/
Help for Ohio’s Honey bees
https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/oh/home/?cid=stelprdb1255315
Attracting Pollinators to the Garden, OSU Extension, http://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/ENT-
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Nests for Native Bees http://www.xerces.org/wp-
content/uploads/2008/11/nests_for_native_bees_fact_sheet_xerces_society.pdf
Bee lab at The Ohio State University, http://u.osu.edu/beelab/
Pollination Resources for Educators, The Ohio State University,
http://entomology.osu.edu/node/350
Master Gardener Program, OSU Extension, http://mastergardener.osu.edu/about/about-mgv-
program
Pesticides and Bees, OSU Extension, http://u.osu.edu/beelab/pesticides-and-bees/
What is IPM? University of California, http://www2.ipm.ucanr.edu/WhatIsIPM/
Beyond Pesticides Ohio Success Stories, http://www.beyondpesticidesohio.org/beyond-
pesticide-ohios-success-stories.html
How to Reduce Bee Poisoning From Pesticides, University of Oregon Extension,
https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/pnw591
10 way to protect bees from pesticides, Washington State Dept. of Agriculture,
http://agr.wa.gov/fp/pubs/docs/388-tenwaystoprotectbeesfrompesticides.pdf
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Ohio Dept. of Agriculture Apiary Program,
http://www.ohioagriculture.gov/divs/plant/apiary/apiary.aspx
Ohio Sensitive Crop Registry, http://www.agri.ohio.gov/scr/
Pollinator Conservation http://www.xerces.org/pollinator-conservation/
Great Lakes Region Pollinator Plant list http://www.xerces.org/wp-
content/uploads/2014/03/GreatLakesPlantList_web.pdf