In the 2012 President's Budget Request, the National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII) is terminated. As a result, all resources, databases, tools, and applications within this web site will be removed on January 15, 2012. For more information, please refer to the NBII Program Termination page.
One of the threats to pollinators is the loss of nectar corridors. Many pollinators migrate thousands of kilometers to overwintering grounds. In order for pollinators to survive these long migrations, there must be adequate food for them over the distance of the migration at "stopover points." Nectar corridors are essentially migratory corridors that contain certain flowering plants at stopover points. To learn more about nectar corridors read "Nectar Trails of Migratory Pollinators: Restoring Corridors on Private Lands" (Gary Paul Nabhan In: Conservation in Practice 2(1), Winter 2001).
Why Are Pollinators Declining?
Mounting research indicates that pollinator populations are declining - but why is this happening? Many causes of pollinator declines in the United States and world wide have already been identified, although research is continuing in this area. Habitat loss, alteration, and fragmentation, often due to logging and farming, are big problems for pollinators. Destruction of habitat along migratory corridors leaves fewer stopover points for pollinators. Individuals are then forced to cluster at the few remaining stopover points, leaving a large portion of the population vulnerable to stochastic or isolated incidents such as severe weather or disease at a particular point. Or individuals may rush through the food-barren points of their migration and arrive at the next stopover point before their food supply is in bloom. The specialized relationships that have evolved between specific plants and pollinators can leave one population vulnerable to declines if something happens to the other. Also, climatic change may be effecting the timing of flower opening and the synchrony between plants and pollinators. Farming methods, such as extensive irrigation, destroy some bees' underground nests. And other pollinators are affected by the short growing season of crops, leaving the pollinators nothing to feed on after the growing season is over.
Other problems exist for pollinator populations. The use of pesticides and herbicides has been detrimental to both managed and native pollinators. Crops sprayed with pesticides to decrease pests often kill the bees that must pollinate these crops. Also, pesticides sprayed aerially can miss their mark and destroy wild areas that are home to many native pollinators. Invasive species, like the Africanized honey bee that was accidentally released in Brazil, compete for the same resources as native pollinators and are often more efficient than those that are native. Disease, the introduction of parasites, and now Colony Collapse Disorder have also been detrimental to honey bee populations. To learn more about the threats to pollinators, read the information provided in this section.
Tips on Minimizing Pesticide Impacts to Pollinators
Leave buffer zones between areas of pesticide application and sensitive species, sensitive habitats, water, and potential nectar sources.
Use the least toxic pesticide recommended for control of the target pest at the lowest effective rate.
Avoid applying pesticides while crops or wildflowers adjacent to or near fields are in bloom.
If pesticides must be applied while crops are in bloom, apply in late afternoon or at night when pollinators are least likely to be working the blooms.
Reduce the amount of drift by using ground equipment instead of aerial spraying to apply pesticides, and avoid spraying under windy conditions.
Rinse pesticide tanks thoroughly between pesticide applications to avoid cross-contamination of pesticides.
Use liquid sprays or granules instead of dusts.
Avoid use of microencapsulated pesticides, as they are similar in size to pollen, and may cause severe poisonings.
Notify beekeepers several days before applying any pesticide that is hazardous to honey bees.
Develop and implement training programs to increase awareness and knowledge of pollinators and their activity patterns among pesticide applicators.
Develop public outreach information to heighten awareness of the potential role that pesticides may play in the decline of pollinators."
The NBII Program is administered by the Biological Informatics Program of the U.S. Geological Survey
