Without our pollinators, there would be no food. Cathy Isom continues her series on bees by telling us what we can do to help bring back the bee population. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Bees are the winged wonders that are really important to us but unfortunately are a dwindling population. Bees occur on every continent except …
Best Flowers to Grow for a Bee Garden
In her previous program Cathy Isom let you know about raising your own Queen Bee. She continues her series today filling you in about the best and most beautiful flowers for a bee garden. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. A garden full of bright, seasonal flowers can nourish your local bees through every season. Consider planting these …
Industry Reaction EPA Approval of Sulfoxaflor Use
Source: National Cotton Council? MEMPHIS, Tenn. (NCC) – The National Cotton Council (NCC) is grateful for EPA’s decision granting use on cotton of sulfoxaflor (commercially known as Transform©) – a uniquely designed insecticide that targets piercing/sucking insect pests such as aphids and plant bugs. “We appreciate EPA’s decision to make sulfoxaflor available for use on cotton,” said NCC Chairman Mike …
EPA Registers Long-Term Uses of Sulfoxaflor While Ensuring Strong Pollinator Protection
Registration provides benefits to growers and is supported by strong science that shows minimal risks for pollinators. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is issuing a long-term approval for the insecticide sulfoxaflor— an effective tool to control challenging pests with fewer environmental impacts. After conducting an extensive risk analysis, including the review of one of the agency’s largest datasets on …
Honeybee Losses Jumped Sharply Higher Last Winter
Bee colony death numbers are continuing to climb. The Bee Informed Partnership released its latest survey last week, saying U.S. beekeepers lost 40 percent of their colonies last winter. That’s the largest number of overwintering hive losses since the survey began more than a decade ago. The total annual loss in 2018 was estimated to be slightly above average. An …
Disrupting One Gene Could Be First Step Toward Treating Honey Bee Parasite Nosema Ceranae
BELTSVILLE, MARYLAND (USDA/ARS) —Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists have taken the first step towards a weapon against the major honey bee parasite Nosema ceranae. There is currently no treatment for this parasite. The scientists found that feeding honey bees a small amount of an interfering RNA compound (RNAi) could disrupt the reproduction of N. cerana by as much as 90 percent in the …
The Buzz: Pollinators are Essential
AUBURN UNIVERSITY, Ala. (ACES)— In the spirit of National Pollinator Week, the Alabama Cooperative Extension System salutes pollinators everywhere who are irreplaceable pieces of the puzzle in gardens, cropland and flowerbeds. Bees are more than honey-makers and hive builders. Bees are essential to the most important part of the food chain—pollination. Importance of Pollinators Bees are essential for the pollination of one-third …
Georgia NRCS Promoting the ABC’s of Pollinators
Many in agriculture have been celebrating National Pollinator Week this week, as the event was designated by the U.S. Senate twelve years ago. Numerous groups like The Honey Bee Health Coalition, Farmers for Monarchs, and the Environmental Defense Fund have been working to expand pollinator awareness through education. But USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Georgia is also celebrating …
Plants that Attract Bees and Other Pollinators
Cathy Isom has information for you about the plants that will attract bees and other pollinating friends to your garden. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. As much as we like our fruits and vegetables and other wild plants – we also need bees and other pollinating friends to keep them around! According to the Natural Resources Defense …
Honey Bee Colonies More Successful By Foraging on Non-Crop Fields
Honey bee colonies foraging on land with a strong cover of clover species and alfalfa do more than three times as well than if they are put next to crop fields of sunflowers or canola, according to a study just published in Scientific Reports by an Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientist and his colleagues. Managed honey bee colonies placed from May until October next …