A research report published this month in the Journal of Economic Entomology finds that Captan is not harmful to foraging honey bees. The fungicide was first introduced in the early 1950s and still regarded as highly effective against diseases such as fruit rots and leaf blight. It is widely used on a variety of fruit and nut crops, such as apples, field berries, and almonds.
ABSTRACT:
Three almond field trials were conducted during 2003 and 2004 at two locations in central (Fresno County) and northern (Yolo County) California to evaluate the potential effects of commercial applications of Captan on honey bees, Apis mellifera L. Captan was applied at 5.0 kg (AI)/ha during bloom. Hives were evaluated for hive health and brood development parameters for ~2 mo after application. This study showed that the application of Captan was not harmful to foraging honey bees or their brood. No treatment-related effects were noted on hive weights, dead bee deformity, number of dead bees, survival of individual larvae, weight of individual emerging adults, and other hive health parameters.
Reference:
Effects of Captan on Apis mellifera Brood Development Under Field Conditions in California Almond Orchards
R. Everich, G. Schiller, J. Whitehead, M. Beavers, and K. Barrett
Journal of Economic Entomology
102(1): 20-29 (2009)
February 2009
Written by drone
Topics: World of Apiculture