# Pesticide-Pollinator Workshop 7/22 NY



## NYSSOI (Feb 6, 2010)

Next Thursday, July 22, Alfred State
Cost: FREE
http://www.alfredstate.edu/events/pesticide-pollinator-workshop 

Pesticide-Pollinator Workshop
Event Date(s):
Thu, 07/22/2010 - 10:00am - 4:00pm
Location:
Orvis Auditorium

The symposium will be 10 -11:30 a.m. and 1 - 4 p.m. For those wishing to bring a picnic lunch, a designated area will be announced at the meeting.

Presenting from Pennsylvania State University/Center for Pollinator Research:

* Maryann Frazier, Pennsylvania state extension entomologist - A survey of recent research findings regarding honey bee health
* Dr. James Frazier, Professor, Department of Entomology - Synergistic and sublethal effects of pesticides on honey bees

Presenting from the USDA-ARS Honey Bee Pollination Lab in Tucson, Arizona:

* Dr. Gloria DeGrandi-Hoffman, Research Director - Do pesticide contaminants alter the microflora in healthy honey bee colonies?
* Dr. Diana Sammataro - Beneficial lactic acid bacteria microflora of honey bees
* Dr. Kirk Anderson - Microbiota in the stored food sources of social insects
* Dr. Mark Carroll - Varroa mite attractants; potential solution for varroa mite/viral challenges to honey bees

There is no cost to attend; we do however require registration through the New York Sustainable Agriculture Working Group at e-mail: [email protected] (This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) or phone (716) 316-5839. Include name, affiliation (e.g., grower, researcher/college, beekeeper/organization, etc.), and phone number or e-mail address.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Where is Alfred State? Is there a map that could be linked? Thank you.

Could be a good bee vacation. Alfred State Pesticide-Pollinator Workshop and the at Cornell U the Empire State Honey Producers Association Summer Picnic on Saturday. A free day in between to shop at Dadant's in Waverly or Wixsons Honey Inc near Dundee. Is there a race friday at Watkins Glen?


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## NYSSOI (Feb 6, 2010)

Link to DIRECTIONS:

http://www.alfredstate.edu/visit/driving-directions


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Thanks.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

I attended the mtng yesterday. Pretty good attendance, I believe. I'm sure the sponsors would have really loved to have had twice as many, but I think that there were about 40 or maybe more. I didn't count them.

Kim Flottum was there, so maybe he will say something in Bee Culture.

Maryann Frazier gave two good, well presented talks. Her husband Jim decided not to come, so he could try to catch up on some of their neglected duties from their time in Africa looking at bees and beekeeping on that continent.

What I got was, is that CCD is a culmination of everything that has effected our honeybees since 1984 when tracheal mites first started showing up in western and American hives and then varroa mites and then the use of pesticides in our hives and possibly the interactions of pesticides in the hives and accumulating in the wax at "subleathal" dosages and then apis ceranae displacing apis nosema and then there are the environmental pesticides that bees gather just by being in the environment and interacting w/ flowering plants that we may not even consider bee plants (like corn pollen) and I'm probably forgetting something.

So, it isn't just one thing. It isn't just neonicitinoids. And fungicides fit in there too.

Another thing is that amongst the 33%, on average, "winterkill" reports for the last 5 or so years, CCD only makes up part of that loss and maybe a small part. So, what is the cause of the other, perhaps, 2/3? It would be nice if the Apiary Inspectors of America, who track and report these figures, would attempt to differentiate, parse(?) the data, so we could see what there is that we might need to do to lower that 33%.

The con was about Pollinators and Pesticides. The Insects that pollinate and the Pesticides that are killing them, including but not exclusively Insecticides. This refers to all insect pollinators. All sorts of bees, wasps and moths and others appear to be in a decline. A quite diturbing thing if you think about it. We are poisoning our environment. There is nowhere, except perhaps off earth, where the effects aren't found. Not where there are insects and flowers.

So, as beekeepers we need to pay attention and see what we can do to lessen the use of pesticidesw while trying to keep healthy colonies. Which I know is difficult to do.

Maryann reported that no kind of beekeeping is exempt from the effects of or at least the exposure to pesticides, not even those beekeepers who try to manage their bees in an organic fashion. The pesticides are too wide spread and prevelant.

What she did say that was encouraging is that the pesticides found in beehives is mostly found in the wax. The USDA reported through the "Pesticide Database Program"(available on line at ams.usda.gov and search for it) that levels of pesticide residue in honey is extremely low, even fluvaninate and coumophaus. So, the honey is less effected by the chemicals. Because of it being a water and not an oil, like wax.

There were a number of speakers from Tucson, AZ that came via internet connection, but I didn't stay in the room for them, which is typical of me at conferences. I spend a good bit of the time out in the hall visiting. There is only so much room in my brain for new info.

So, maybe others who were there will report their observations.

A special Thank you to the Western NY Beekeepers, and especially Bob Brachmann, for sponsoring, ie paying for, this free conference. And to SUNY Alfred for hosting us and providing the avilability of lunch.

A good time was had by all.


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