Location: Pollinating Insect-Biology, Management, Systematics Research
Project Number: 2080-21000-019-005-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Apr 25, 2018
End Date: Mar 30, 2023
Objective:
Objective 1. Conduct topical direct contact bioassays with candidate pesticides on ALCB and AB.
Objective 2. Test sulfoxaflor and a candidate bioinsecticide on ALCB on a large-scale (20+ acre) demonstration plot to evaluate pest control and pollinator safety at the macro scale.
Objective 3. Develop and validate an alkali bee emergence model using cost effective technology.
Approach:
Objective 1. Pesticides will be applied at 26 gal/A to 0.01-acre plots of alfalfa being produced for seed. Field-weathered residual test exposures will be replicated 5 times per candidate insecticide at 4 time intervals (1 hr, 8 hr, 1 day, and 1 wk) after the insecticides are applied. Samples consisting of approx. 400 cm of foliage will be taken from the upper 15 cm of the plants, clipped to 1-inch lengths, and placed into individual bioassay cages. ALCB and AB will be collected by hand from alfalfa fields grown for seed by butterfly net on AB beds or at the entrance of ALCB domiciles. The bees will be tranquilized with CO2 and will be added to the bioassay cages and held at 75°F for 8 hrs. Mortality counts will be assessed.
