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The grower agrees to…<br />
No pesticide details in pollination agreement<br />
Apply pesticides only during inactive foraging times (e.g.<br />
evening, night)*<br />
Minimum notification time before applying pesticides<br />
(e.g. 48, 72 hours)*<br />
Not apply specific chemicals<br />
Pay extra fees if colonies must move due to pesticide<br />
application<br />
Pay damages for colony losses due to pesticide exposure<br />
Not tank-mix multiple pesticides*<br />
Percentage of<br />
Responses<br />
46%<br />
33%<br />
29%<br />
Table 2. Percentage of beekeepers with agreements containing pesticide<br />
exposure details (N=82)<br />
Note: Participants could select more than one, so the percentages add to over 100%* indicates<br />
detail is listed as one of the Honey Bee Best Management Practices<br />
18%<br />
12%<br />
11%<br />
11%<br />
Percent in Agreement<br />
60%<br />
40%<br />
20%<br />
0%<br />
Brassica<br />
Clover Soil Builder Wildflower Not true for any<br />
Cover Crop Mix<br />
Mix will bloom at the<br />
correct time to benefit<br />
my colonies<br />
Mix will improve strength to<br />
better meet almond pollination<br />
requirements<br />
Figure 4. Percentage of beekeepers in agreement for each bee-friendly<br />
cover crop mix<br />
Note: For each statement, respectively, N=74 and N=63. Respondents could select more than<br />
one cover crop mix, so percentages will not sum to 100%.<br />
of respondents thought the Brassica<br />
mix will bloom at the correct time, and<br />
over 40% thought the Soil Builder mix<br />
would. Respectively, only 22% and 20%<br />
thought the Clover and Wildflower<br />
mixes would bloom at a beneficial time,<br />
and 28% thought none of the mixes<br />
would bloom at a time that would<br />
be beneficial to colonies. The second<br />
statement was, “Mix will improve<br />
colony strength to better meet almond<br />
pollination requirements.” Due to their<br />
early bloom timing, the Brassica and<br />
Soil Builder mixes received the highest<br />
percentage that agreed, with 46% and<br />
32%, respectively. 40% of respondents<br />
did not think that any of the mixes<br />
would bloom at a time that would<br />
help beekeepers meet colony strength<br />
requirements (Figure 4.)<br />
We asked beekeepers about their<br />
beliefs regarding various aspects of<br />
bee-friendly cover crops planted in almond<br />
orchards. As expected, beekeepers’<br />
views of bee-friendly cover crops<br />
were positive. Of the 78 beekeepers<br />
who responded, 94% and 68% agreed<br />
with the statements that cover crops<br />
planted for bee forage will improve colony<br />
health and decrease feeding costs,<br />
respectively. Nearly half of beekeepers<br />
agreed that bee-friendly cover crops<br />
would reduce colony susceptibility<br />
to disease. Few beekeepers believed<br />
that bee-friendly cover crops planted<br />
in almond orchards would increase<br />
pesticide exposure or provide too little<br />
forage to be beneficial.<br />
Given that beekeepers clearly care<br />
about early blooming mixes, the Soil<br />
Builder mix may have the most potential<br />
benefits to the grower due to<br />
Continued on Page 48<br />
<strong>Dec</strong>ember 2021 www.wcngg.com 47
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