Bee Integrated: Bees and Pesticides

March 2, 2022

Video summary

Bee health depends on good hive management, varroa control, protection from pesticides, and good forage. In this Bee Integrated video, farmer Mike Van Agtmael describes how integrated pest management and good communication with his beekeeper, Jim Hilton, keeps bees healthy and pollination productive. Beekeeper Jamie Ostrowski describes a "perfect storm" that harmed some of her bees—and how she and Matt Jansen of Green Thumb Blueberries collaborate to protect her hives.

About the Honey Bee Health Coalition's Bee Integrated Demonstration Project

The Honey Bee Health Coalition’s Bee Integrated Demonstration Project features Michigan beekeepers and growers in videos that showcase collaboration. The videos capture stories of beekeepers and growers who implement practices in their fields and hives to improve honey bee health and crop pollination.

The Bee Integrated Demonstration Project promotes implementing colony management, forage installation and crop pest control practices that support honey bee health. The videos showcase stories of beekeepers, growers and Michigan State University Extension educators who share strategies that can make a difference in honey bee health and crop pollination. This work is important to Michigan’s Managed Pollinator Protection Plan, which encourages communication strategies to reduce pesticide risk to managed bees in Michigan. As part of the state plan, MSU creates educational materials for growers, pesticide applicators, home gardeners and the public to support managed pollinator health.

Thank you to the Honey Bee Health Coalition for contributing language for this description and producing videos.

Thank you to the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development for securing funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for Michigan State University to implement strategies in the Michigan Managed Pollinator Protection Plan.

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