Chemical residue in beehives post canola flowering.

Western Australian Agriculture Authority, a body corporate established under the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007

  • Project code: PRJ-009055

  • Project stage: Closed

  • Project start date: Friday, May 9, 2014

  • Project completion date: Friday, March 25, 2016

  • National Priority: HBE-Improve understanding of floral resources as assets for the Australian honey bee industry

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Summary

The project is to locate nucleus beehives containing new wax-foundation on canola crops that have been treated with seed-dressing chemicals that appear on the approved chemicals register of the APVMA; to locate nucleus hives on properties that are ‘organic’ in status or are not using seed-dressing chemicals; to also survey a wider number of beehives to ascertain background levels of chemical residue from older combs and to test the wax from permanent feral colonies near canola crops.

RIRDC EXPECTS THE REPORT OF THIS PROJECT TO BE PUBLISHED IN MID-2016.

Program

Honey Bee

Research Organisation

Western Australian Agriculture Authority, a body corporate established under the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007

Objective Summary

To carry out a survey of chemical residues in beeswax, pollen and honey to determine what chemicals are presently entering colonies of honey bees; to determine what concentrations the chemicals are present; and to compare the results with a major 2010 USA study.