1

Ohio State Beekeepers Association

Feb. 14, 2017

Contribution to Ohio Pollinator Health, Protection, and Conservation Plan 2017

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“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.

2

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

3

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

4

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.

5

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.

6

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 .

7

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.

8

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.

9

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

10

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

11

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.

12

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/

13

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

14

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

17

Best Management Practices for Beekeepers by Ohio State Beekeepers Association

18

19

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).

20

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.

21

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

22

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

23

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-

47

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

24

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