By Jade Horn
Doctor of Plant Health Graduate Student
Josh Villazana
Nebraska Extension Educator
When using insecticides, one of the most effective ways to reduce pollinator exposure is to avoid applying them when crops, weeds, or nearby vegetation are in bloom. Bees and other pollinators are most active during these bloom periods, when they are foraging for nectar and pollen.
If application is unavoidable at the time, consider mowing flowering weeds prior to treatment when appropriate and safe to do so. However, avoid mowing immediately before an application if pollinators are actively foraging in those weeds, as this may temporarily increase insect movement into the nearby crops.
When possible, apply pesticides in the evening or at night, as bees are less active. Early-morning applications may also reduce exposure risk compared to daytime applications. Environmental conditions should be monitored carefully, as temperature shifts and weather can increase the potential for drift during evening hours.
Some products have lower risks to pollinators than others. When alternatives are available, use products with lower toxicity to bees and beneficial insects. Always read and follow the label. Product selection should also consider residual activity, the formulation type, and the overall goals for pest management.
Careful consideration of calibration and awareness of environmental conditions can help keep pesticides on target areas and reduce unintended exposure.
Communication between applicators, growers, and beekeepers can improve pollinator protection efforts. By communicating early about planned pesticide applications, beekeepers can effectively provide protective measures, including temporary relocations or hive covers. The collaboration among farmers and beekeepers benefit both agricultural productivity and pollinator health by encouraging proactive management strategies and reducing avoidable exposure events that may occur.
When possible, use BeeCheck, a voluntary communication tool that enables beekeepers and pesticide applicators to work together to protect apiaries through the BeeCheck mapping program.
Rather than relying on pesticide applications alone, IPM programs use a combination of monitoring, economic thresholds, cultural practices and biological controls to guide proactive treatment decisions (USDA, 2026).
One of the primary principles of IPM is regular pest monitoring and field scouting for pest identification, which allows growers and applicators to determine when treatment is economically feasible and justified. In addition to pest monitoring, there are multiple management strategies that can help reduce pest pressure:
Crop rotations, which provide a natural disruption to pest life cycles.
Tolerant/resistant crop varieties.
Biological (insect predators and parasitoids) and cultural control practices.
Beneficial insects can include predators and parasitoids, which help keep pest populations lower in agricultural systems. Preserving these organisms may also reduce the need for additional pesticide applications and support balanced ecosystems in agricultural settings (University of Minnesota, 2024).
As awareness of pollinator health continues to grow, growers and applicators have an important opportunity to adopt practices that support both agricultural success and environmental stewardship. Protecting pollinators today helps preserve the long-term sustainability and resilience of agricultural systems.
For more information, visit https://cropwatch.unl.edu/pollinator-protection-during-pesticide-applications/