Pesticides and Bees: What We Know and What We Can Do

What do we know about the impacts of pesticides on pollinators? What steps do regulatory agencies like the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) take to safeguard our pollinators? Are protections from the EPA adequate or inadequate? This talk will dig into Scotts' team’s efforts to synthesize the science on this topic while interacting with regulatory agencies, beekeepers, farmers, and the pesticide industry. The talk will also describe some attempts from industry to misinform the public, explain why these attempts occurred and their effectiveness, and how evidence-based legislation on this topic can potentially be improved via public engagement.

Scott McArt is an associate professor of pollinator health and helps run the Dyce Lab for Honey Bee Studies at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. He's particularly interested in scientific research that can inform management decisions by beekeepers, farmers, regulatory agencies, and the public. Research in the McArt lab focuses on the impact of pesticides, pathogens, and management practices on the health of honey bees and wild pollinators.