In September the Pest Management Regulatory Agency issued a notice with recommendations on agricultural practices to mitigate bee deaths from neonicotinoids.
In the document, the PMRA asked organizations and individuals for comments before it makes a final decision on the recommendations.
The comment period closes Dec. 12 but the PMRA has no shortage of material to review.
“This document has received the most number of comments, ever, for any PMRA document,” said Marcie Smerchanski, Health Canada regional pesticide officer, during a presentation at the Manitoba Beekepers’ Association annual meeting in mid-November.
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Smerchanski said the PMRA has received more than 300 comments on the neonicotinoid notice of intent. That figure will certainly increase before the deadline.
A PMRA investigation concluded that corn seed treated with insecticides caused the bee deaths.
“The majority of pollinator mortalities were a result of exposure to neonicotinoid insecticides, likely through exposure to contaminated dust generated during the planting of treated corn seed,” PMRA scientists said.
In the notice of intent the PMRA proposed several measures to protect bees from neonicotinoid exposure, including the use of improved lubricants on seed coatings to reduce the occurrence of insecticide-contaminated dust.
In data released this fall, the PMRA said 74 Ontario beekeepers reported bee deaths in 319 bee yards. In 2012, 42 Ontario beekeepers reported deaths at 242 bee yards.
While Quebec beekeepers had bee losses related to neonicotinoids, Manitoba apiarists actually reported more bee deaths than Quebec in 2013.
Five Manitoba beekeepers suspected that neonicotinoids killed bees from their colonies in 2013. They reported dead bees from 11 yards.
Corn acres have been on the rise in Manitoba, which might explain the bee deaths.
