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Iowa State University researchers developed a strategy for preventing honey bees from feeding on flowers on pesticide-treated plants that uses plant-based compounds as feeding deterrents.

Pilot studies indicate that the antifeedants placed in nectar tubes in artificial flowers deter honey bees from feeding, and ISU is seeking partners for further development and commercialization of this technology.

The value of bee pollination has been estimated to be between $15 and $20 billion per year; however, the emergence of colony collapse disorder (CCD) in recent years as a significant problem affecting the health of honey bees poses a serious threat to the beekeeping and pollination industries.  CCD is also perceived as a serious threat to agriculture and food security since honey bees have become an integral tool for production of certain crops, particularly fruits and nuts.  CCD is still poorly understood at present, but environmental stressors such as exposure to pesticides at lethal or sub-lethal doses has been implicated as a cause. The lack of understanding of the mechanisms that contribute to CCD have also limited recommendations for its mitigation to best management practices for bee keepers,  and for the general public, to limiting honey bee exposure to pesticides through reducing usage, timing applications so that they are done when bees are not foraging, and planting pollinator-friendly plants.  To help address the need for better strategies to prevent or limit CCD, ISU researchers have identified a family of plant-based compounds that act as effective honey bee feeding deterrents.  These compounds may be combined with pesticides to prevent honey bees from foraging on plants that have recently been sprayed with insecticides, and thus may have utility for reducing honey bee exposure to potentially damaging chemicals.

• May deter honey bees from feeding on pesticide-treated plants

• Uses inexpensive, plant-based materials

• Non-GMO based

Crop production and protection