By Rep. Paul Anderson
A meeting of the House committee that deals with natural resources, agriculture, and the environment was conducted Dec. 9, and the topic of the day was pollinators. Most of the testimony dealt with honey bees and the struggle to keep them viable, not only here in Minnesota but throughout the nation. Hive losses of 30 percent or more are being reported, and we were told that a death rate that high, in the long term, is probably unsustainable.
And it’s not just the loss of honey that experts are concerned with, it’s the fact that bees pollinate many of the foods we eat and the native plants we enjoy. One estimate says that 35 percent of the food we eat is pollinated by bees, with many of those being fruits and vegetables. According to the University of Minnesota’s Dr. Marla Spivak, an expert in pollinators, between 70 and 80 percent of all flowering plants rely on animal pollinators to reproduce, with bees being the most important. The economic value of honey bee pollination in the United States has been placed between $15 and $18 billion.
She told the committee that three main factors are leading causes of “colony decline” in bees. They are the “interacting P’s,” namely poor nutrition, pathogens and parasites, and pesticides. The lack of nutrition can be traced to the lack of nectar- and pollen-producing flowers for bees to work with. It takes about two million visits to flowers to make one pound of honey, and 75 pounds of honey per colony are needed to survive winter in Minnesota. It’s estimated that a single bee will visit between 50 and 100 flowers, usually of the same species, on one foraging trip. So it stands to reason that bees need a diverse source of pollen and nectar over the course of a growing season for immune system health and survival. Some of the favorite sources are clover, basswood trees, alfalfa, buckwheat, and sunflowers.
Dr. Spivak said that bees’ worst natural enemy is the mite parasite. This small organism has been around for many years and can cause high death loss in hives. It’s believed that if bees are in a weakened state because of a lack of nutrition, the viruses spread by the mite can do even more damage.
The third factor is the use of pesticides in agriculture and other outdoor activities. A relatively new class of chemicals called “neonicotinoids” is causing worry because it is a systemic-acting pesticide and eventually gets into all parts of the plant. Although the chemical may not directly cause death, it’s believed that non-lethal doses can cause disorientation among bees that come in contact with the chemical. The Minnesota Dept. of Agriculture is conducting a study on this class of chemicals, in addition to coming up with a list of Best Management Practices (BMPs) for bee habitat. They are focusing on three main areas for improvement, namely road ditch right-of-ways, agricultural land, and habitats associated with gardens and managed landscapes.
The Department has convened a working group to study these issues, and its report is due back to the Legislature next month.
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We are in the midst of the Christmas holiday season. It’s a festive time of year, but it can also be a lonely time for some. A good way to spread the true spirit of the season is to spend time with those who may be facing challenges in their lives. My wish for you is a very merry Christmas and a prosperous new year. Be safe, and enjoy the special times spent with family and friends.
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