Location: Pollinator Health in Southern Crop Ecosystems Research
Project Number: 6066-21000-001-023-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Sep 1, 2023
End Date: Dec 31, 2024
Objective:
To conduct research and associated outreach related to improving both native and honey bee health. A particular focus will center on managing stressors like parasites (e.g. Integrated Pest Management of varroa and tropilaelaps mites) and habitat (e.g. forage, agro-chemicals) in such a way that is beneficial to both beekeepers and agricultural producers operating in the Mid-South United States.
Approach:
Bees and other insect pollinators residing in the Mid-South region of the United State face pressures from multiple biotic and abiotic stressors, including parasites, loss of habitat, agro-chemicals, and weather. Because of the agricultural importance of the region, there is a need to better understand and reduce the impact of these stressors to important ecosystem-service providing insects like bees by identifying and developing agricultural practices that are feasible to producers such as beekeepers and row crop farmers. To address these issues, work will focus on identifying and deploying knowledge, tools, and procedures that contribute to successful management approaches for major parasites (e.g. IPM for varroa and tropilaelaps mites) and insect pollinator forage (e.g. wildflower plantings, dddsoil disturbance and amendments). This work will contribute to improving the health of bees and other insect pollinators, which will in turn ensure food security via crop pollination.
