Pollen Sleuths: Tracking Pesticides in Honey Bee Pollen to Their Source Plant

This article is by Kimberly Stoner, Richard Cowles, and Brian Eitzer and was published in Entomology Today on February 14th, 2019. The original article can be found here.

More than 10 years after the appearance of Colony Collapse Disorder, people are still worried about honey bees, and for good reason. Beekeepers still lose a substantial portion of their honey bee colonies each year. A nationwide bee survey estimated annual loss at 40 percent for 2017-2018. Many factors are likely to be involved, but the one that we study as a team is exposure to pesticides.

We have been measuring honey bee (Apis mellifera) exposure to pesticides in pollen since 2007 by putting honey bee hives in different habitats, collecting pollen using a pollen trap, and then measuring pesticide residues in the pollen using high-pressure liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. A pollen trap is a clever device, invented by beekeepers, which forces each foraging worker bee returning to the hive to travel through a screen. The screen removes the pollen pellets from the bee’s pollen baskets on her hind legs, whereupon the pellets are collected onto a smaller-mesh screen. Ideally, the result is a collection of pollen pellets, of fairly uniform size, each representing the pollen collected on a single foraging trip by a worker bee…

Read more at Entomology Today.

NPSEC News – February 12th, 2019


 

NPSEC News – February 12th, 2019

NEWS FROM NPSEC

SERVICES NPSEC CAN PROVIDE ON A FEE FOR SERVICE OR COST RECOVERY BASIS

To support Extension Pesticide Safety Education Programs, NPSEC can provide a variety of services. These include:

  • Sale of pesticide exam training materials directly to stakeholders in your state.
  • Distribution of your for sale publications to stakeholders in your state or nationwide.
  • Development of interactive online course materials or upgrading of powerpoint presentations 
    • Examples
      • Idaho Private Applicator Training
      • New Hampshire Recertification Training Course
    • Notes
      • PSEP retains ownership of all materials created
      • Includes access to NPSEC videographers, instructional designers, and content available on Adobe Stock
      • This can be done from existing PowerPoints or created from scratch
      • Cost is based on how much assistance is needed for development, procuring, or producing media.
  • Web hosting of of existing or new online courses
    • Examples
      • New Hampshire Courses
      • Idaho Courses
  • Webpage Development
  • Video Production
  • PowerPoint design and enhancement with still photos, videos and simulations
  • Radio and digital ad production and outreach campaigns
  • Publication design, layout and printing services
  • Other Projects Upon Request

NPSEC Respirator Collaboration Team Producing Video Introduction to Respirators

The Upper Midwest Center for Agricultural Safety and Health (UMASH) reached out to NPSEC Respirator Collaboration Team member Natalie Hoidal (Minnesota PSEP) about making a promotional video about respirators. The goal is to create a short video to get the word out, and could be linked to more substantial resources and in-depth information. NPSEC will be collaborating with UMASH to produce this short video. Natalie has developed the script, and is getting feedback from other Respirator Collaboration Team members as part of the production process.

NPSEC INCREASES DISCOUNT & REVENUE SHARING TO PSEPs FROM PRODUCT SALES

Based on the recommendation of the NPSEC Finance Committee, the NPSEC Board of Directors has approved increasing the discount from 5% to 10% for PERC and AFOP products, and the Rutgers Respirator Protection manual sold at the NPSEC Store, when ordered directly by PSEPs. In addition, the revenue share sent back to PSEPs as program gifts from the state sales of these products will also increase from 5% to 10%.

These increased benefits to PSEPs are effective as of January 1st 2019. Pesticide safety products are sold by NPSEC at www.npsecstore.com as part of NPSEC’s mission to serve and support extension pesticide safety education programs (PSEPs) in every state and US territory. For more information about the NPSEC Store and these benefits to PSEPs, or to receive additional discounts for bulk orders, contact Courtney Weatherbee at cweatherbee@npsec.us.

List of Acronyms:

AFOP – Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs

NPSEC – National Pesticide Safety Education Center

PERC – Pesticide Educational Resources Collaborative

PSEP – Pesticide Safety Education Program

NPSEC FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS NOW AVAILABLE

If you have questions about NPSEC, we invite you to read our FAQs here. If you have any questions, please contact Tom Smith at tomsmith@npsec.us

REMINDER: NPSEC OFFERS PSEP-ONLY EMAIL DISTRIBUTION LIST

NPSEC created an email distribution list for PSEP Coordinators and their selected staff. To maintain the integrity of this PSEP-only distribution list, please contact Aaron Weibe at aaronweibe@npsec.us if you have any questions or would like to add any Extension Pesticide Safety Education staff to the list.

NEWS RELEASES

Microscopy research shows workings of a major honeybee pest

Research by scientists at the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and the University of Maryland released today sheds new light – and reverses decades of scientific dogma – regarding a honeybee pest (Varroa destructor) that is considered the greatest single driver of the global honeybee colony losses. Managed honeybee colonies add at least $15 billion to the value of U.S. agriculture each year through increased yields and superior quality harvests.

The microscopy images are part of a major study showing that the Varroa mite (Varroa destructor) feeds on the honeybee’s fat body tissue (an organ similar to the human liver) rather than on its “blood,” (or hemolymph). This discovery holds broad implications for controlling the pest in honeybee colonies.

Read more here

Monarch butterfly population slowly increasing

Monarch butterflies from east of the Rocky Mountains received a reprieve on Wednesday as a recent survey count showed their population increased by more than 144 percent, a dramatic increase from previous years.

News of the uptick arrived shortly after it was reported that the western population of the monarch butterfly had dropped to an all-time low.

Since the 1990s, populations of the iconic orange and black butterfly have been on a downward spiral mainly due to habitat destruction and commercial use of pesticides, according to the Center for Biological Diversity.

The butterflies migrate to warmer climates during the winter months and most North American monarchs make their way to Oyamel fir forests on 12 mountaintops in central Mexico, according to researchers…

Read more here.

February’s National Pesticide Safety Education Month Highlights Nationwide Efforts to Promote Safe Pesticide Use

The second annual National Pesticide Safety Education Month gets underway February 1st, to reinforce core principles of safe handling and use and to raise awareness of and support for the land-grant university Pesticide Safety Education Programs (PSEPs).

The Weed Science Society of America (WSSA), American Phytopathological Society (APS) and Entomological Society of America (ESA) are among the many organizations promoting safe handling and use of pesticides and the important role of PSEPs. Pesticide safety is a must, whether the applicator is an unlicensed homeowner or certified in one or more of the federal or state categories of use.

Read more here.

PERC & RUTGERS PRODUCTS ON THE NPSEC STORE!

The NPSEC Store is a good place to find EPA-approved materials with expanded 2015 WPS content. This is where you can order NPSEC, PERC, WPS, and state-specific products. For PERC products, PSEPs get a 5% discount if they purchase the products using the code we mailed you at checkout. We track all PERC sales by state and send 5% of all net sales in a particular state or territory back to the PSEP as a gift.

Additionally, the Rutgers E358 Respiratory Guides can also be found on the NPSEC Store.

Shop the NPSEC Store

RUTGERS E358 RESPIRATORY GUIDES

This document provides practical information for proper use of respirators by occupational users of pesticides. It also outlines regulatory requirements of EPA and OSHA that apply to commercial users and also agricultural operations that use pesticides. Its purpose is to describe types of respirators, their limitations, use, care, and maintenance.

Purchase Here.

PERC PRODUCTS

National Worker Protection Standard: A Manual for Trainers

Available in English and Spanish!

These EPA-approved manuals (English: EPA 730-B-16-001; Spanish: EPA 730-K-17-001)) begin with an introduction to pesticides and pesticide safety, including the federal pesticide regulations. They discusses each of the specific points that must be included in WPS training sessions and contains valuable information to help trainers prepare for and conduct pesticide safety training.

Purchase Here

How to Comply With the 2015 Revised Worker Protection Standard for Agricultural Pesticides

This EPA-approved manual will help users of agricultural pesticides comply with the requirements of the 2015 revised federal Worker Protection Standard. You should read this manual if you employ agricultural  workers or handlers, are involved in the production of agricultural plants as an owner/manager of an agricultural establishment or a commercial (for-hire) pesticide handling establishment, or work as a crop advisor.

Purchase Here

WPS Respiratory Protection Guide: Requirements for Employers of Pesticide Handlers

Under the Worker Protection Standard (WPS) as revised in 2015, there are new requirements for pesticide handlers when pesticide labels require the use of a respirator. This 45-page guide includes step-by-step fit-testing procedures, respirator selection guidance, medical evaluation options, and some frequently asked questions. 

Purchase Here

WPS Posters

Updated WPS Poster(s) for “Central Posting” areas and certain decontamination sites
This poster(s) complies with the requirements in the Worker Protection Standard (WPS) for agricultural pesticides.

Posters come in Large (22×34.5in) and Small (11×17) with a English/Spanish front, and the option of English or Spanish back. All Posters have a gloss laminate finish for durability.

Purchase Here

WPS Training Videos

These WPS training videos for agricultural workers and pesticide handlers apply to many sectors because they include footage and examples from orchards, forestry, nurseries, greenhouses, vineyards, and row crops.

Available in English and Spanish!

Purchase Here

WPS Standard Handbook for Agricultural Employers

Can be purchased individually or in bundles of 2 and 10!

This handbook is formatted as a small booklet, half the size of a sheet of paper. We hope you’ll find it as useful as a handout when training and/or inspecting agricultural work under the WPS.

Purchase Here 

Web-Based Training for Trainers of Agricultural Workers and Pesticide Handlers

Online training course!

This web-based course is EPA-approved, including 12 self-paced learning modules. The course provides the required information for trainers who will perform annual training for agricultural workers and pesticide handlers under the U.S. EPA Worker Protection Standard (WPS). It will guide you through the necessary procedures to provide effective training about pesticide safety topics.

Purchase Here

 

Microscopy research shows workings of a major honeybee pest

The original article comes from Fruit Growers News. You can access the full article here

 

Research by scientists at the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and the University of Maryland released today sheds new light – and reverses decades of scientific dogma – regarding a honeybee pest (Varroa destructor) that is considered the greatest single driver of the global honeybee colony losses. Managed honeybee colonies add at least $15 billion to the value of U.S. agriculture each year through increased yields and superior quality harvests.

The microscopy images are part of a major study showing that the Varroa mite (Varroa destructor) feeds on the honeybee’s fat body tissue (an organ similar to the human liver) rather than on its “blood,” (or hemolymph). This discovery holds broad implications for controlling the pest in honeybee colonies.

The study was published on-line Jan. 15 and in today’s print edition of the Proceedings of the NationalAcademy of Sciences. An image produced by the ARS Electron and Confocal Microscopy Unit in Beltsville, Maryland, is on the cover of today’s journal.

Varroa mites have been widely thought to feed on the hemolymph, of honeybees (Apis mellifera) because of studies conducted in the 1970’s which used outdated technology. But today’s collaborative study, by University of Maryland and ARS researchers at the ARS Electron and Confocal Microscopy Unit, offers proof of the mite’s true feeding behavior. Through the use of electron microscopy, the researchers were able to locate feeding wounds on the bee caused by the mites, which were located directly above the bee’s fat body tissue. The images represent the first direct evidence that Varroa mites feed on adult bees, not just the larvae and pupae.

In addition, University of Maryland researchers conducted feeding studies and found that varroamites that were fed a diet of fat body tissue survived significantly longer and produced more eggs than mites fed hemolymph. The results show, mites fed a hemolymph-only diet were comparable to those that were starved. Thus, proving conclusively that the varroa mite feeds primarily on the fat body consumed from bees.

The results are expected to help scientists develop more effective pesticides and other treatments to help bees cope with a mite known to spread at least five viruses. They also help explain why varroa mites have such detrimental effects on honeybees, weakening their immune systems, and making it harder for them to store protein from pollen and survive through the winter.

The study was part of the Ph.D. thesis of Samuel D. Ramsey from the University of Maryland and was conducted in collaboration with ARS researchers and study co-authors Gary Bauchan, Connor Gulbronson, Joseph Mowery, and Ronald Ochoa.

The study can be found here.

 Dennis O’Brien, ARS

Monarch Butterfly Population Slowly Increasing

The original article comes from the Courthouse News Service. You can read the full article by clicking here

(CN) – Monarch butterflies from east of the Rocky Mountains received a reprieve on Wednesday as a recent survey count showed their population increased by more than 144 percent, a dramatic increase from previous years.

News of the uptick arrived shortly after it was reported that the western population of the monarch butterfly had dropped to an all-time low.

Since the 1990s, populations of the iconic orange and black butterfly have been on a downward spiral mainly due to habitat destruction and commercial use of pesticides, according to the Center for Biological Diversity.

The butterflies migrate to warmer climates during the winter months and most North American monarchs make their way to Oyamel fir forests on 12 mountaintops in central Mexico, according to researchers…

Read more from Courthouse News Service here

February’s National Pesticide Safety Education Month Highlights Nationwide Efforts to Promote Safe Pesticide Use

The original article comes from PR Web. Please click here to view the full article. 

The second annual National Pesticide Safety Education Month gets underway February 1st, to reinforce core principles of safe handling and use and to raise awareness of and support for the land-grant university Pesticide Safety Education Programs (PSEPs). The Weed Science Society of America (WSSA), American Phytopathological Society (APS) and Entomological Society of America (ESA) are among the many organizations promoting safe handling and use of pesticides and the important role of PSEPs. Pesticide safety is a must, whether the applicator is an unlicensed homeowner or certified in one or more of the federal or state categories of use.

Read more at PR Web here.

USDA tests PBH rice hulls for weed control in container crops

The original article comes from Nursery Management. You can read the full article here

The USDA-ARS in Wooster, Ohio, has begun a new five-year research program to develop weed management options for herbicide-sensitive crops. This is a multi-pronged approach to develop a wide variety of tools for weed control in production settings where herbicides are either not labeled or cannot be used safely.

A very promising part of this project thus far has been the use of parboiled rice hulls as a mulch in containers. Riceland Foods, Inc. has been marketing their parboiled rice hulls for weed management in horticulture crops, and some nursery producers in Ohio have already successfully used rice hulls for weed control. The goal of our research was to determine, in controlled research, what quantity of rice hulls provided effective weed control of liverwort (Marchantia polymporpha) and bittercress (Cardamine ­exuosa).

Read more at Nursery Management here