An economist and former associate professor, Philip H. Brown, studied economics at the University of Michigan from 1997 to 2003. Philip H. Brown has published research articles in peer-reviewed journals and led interdisciplinary research teams. The Arlington-based economist is interested in environmental issues such as toxicity challenges in beekeeping. While as a beekeeper you cannot directly control how pesticides are used within the flight range of your bees or near their beehives, some lines of action can still be taken to prevent exposure to pesticide-related toxins. Using rapidly degrading pesticides helps reduce toxicity-related honey bee mortality. Many newer pesticides today have shorter residual times. This is the time required to reduce the chemical activity to relatively safe levels for bees. Compared to other formulations, microencapsulated insecticides are more toxic to bees. Because the capsules are small and similar to pollen, the bees can easily transport them directly into the colony. They not only kill more bees, but remain poisonous longer. If you must apply pesticides, do it when your bees are not flying but resting in their apiaries. Most pollinators venture out from around 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Minimizing the use of pesticides during this critical pollinating period protects the forager bees from direct contact with the toxins.

1. Philip H Brown

2. An economist and former associate professor, Philip H. Brown, studied
economics at the University of Michigan from 1997 to 2003. Philip H.
Brown has published research articles in peer-reviewed journals and led
interdisciplinary research teams. The Arlington-based economist is
interested in environmental issues such as toxicity challenges in
beekeeping.

3. While as a beekeeper you cannot directly control how pesticides are used
within the flight range of your bees or near their beehives, some lines of
action can still be taken to prevent exposure to pesticide-related toxins.

4. Using rapidly degrading pesticides helps reduce toxicity-related honey
bee mortality. Many newer pesticides today have shorter residual times.
This is the time required to reduce the chemical activity to relatively safe
levels for bees.

5. Compared to other formulations, microencapsulated insecticides are
more toxic to bees. Because the capsules are small and similar to pollen,
the bees can easily transport them directly into the colony. They not only
kill more bees, but remain poisonous longer.

6. If you must apply pesticides, do it when your bees are not flying but
resting in their apiaries. Most pollinators venture out from around 8 a.m.
to 5 p.m. Minimizing the use of pesticides during this critical pollinating
period protects the forager bees from direct contact with the toxins.