Bees are great at retrieving tiny cargo: their main job is to visit flowering plants in order to gather pollen and nectar for their hive. Now one pesticide company has gained federal permission to ensure they’re bringing something special along on each trip.
The Canadian-based company Bee Vectoring Technologies (BVT) just received EPA approval for an organic fungicide that bees can carry directly from hive to crop, which could help farmers eliminate the need for chemical spraying. What the company has created is something called Vectorite, a white powder that farmers place in special trays for honeybees or bumblebees to pass through as they exit their hive.
Vectorite carries a refined form of Clonostachys rosea, a fungus that feeds on other types of fungi that damage crops. As the bees visit flowers and crops, they bring the fungicide with them and prevent harmful fungi from destroying crops.
One of the main reasons to be excited by Vectorite is that, since it is organic, both conventional and organic farms could take up this natural option. BVT projects it can reduce pesticide use by 50% to 75% at conventional farms while reducing the need for expensive pesticide sprays.
