An evidence-based rationale for a North American commercial bumble bee clean stock certification program

James  Strange; Sheila Colla; Laurie Davies Adams; Michelle Duennes; Elaine Evans; Laura Figueroa; David Lehmann; Heather Moylett; Leif Richardson; Ben Sadd; James Smith; Tamara Smith; Amber Tripodi; David W. Inouye

doi:10.26786/1920-7603(2023)721

Authors

James P. Strange Department of Entomology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43214 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9612-6868
Sheila R. Colla Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9621-8607
Laurie Davies Adams Pollinator Partnership
Michelle A. Duennes Department of Biology, Saint Vincent College, Latrobe, PA 15650
Elaine C. Evans Department of Entomology, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108 USA https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7190-829X
Laura L. Figueroa Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003
David M. Lehmann 7Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment (CPHEA), Health and Environmental Effects Assessment Division, Integrated Health Assessment Branch, US - Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27711, USA https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0174-344X
Heather Moylett Unaffiliated https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9734-0228
Leif Richardson The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation
Ben M. Sadd School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3136-5144
James W. Smith Retired USDA APHIS https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6747-5591
Tamara A. Smith Unaffiliated
Amber D. Tripodi Unaffiliated https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7368-6638
David W. Inouye University of Maryland Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26786/1920-7603(2023)721

Keywords:

Bombus, bumble bee, management, disease, parasite, pathogen, clean stock

Abstract

The commercial production and subsequent movement of bumble bees for pollination of agricultural field and greenhouse crops is a growing industry in North America and globally. Concerns have been raised about the impacts of pathogen spillover from managed bees to wild pollinators, including from commercial bumble bees. We recommend development of a program to mitigate disease risk in commercial bumble bee production, which will in turn reduce disease stressors on wild pollinators and other insects. We provide recommendations for the components of a clean stock program with specific best management practices for rearing commercial bumble bees including related products such as wax, pollen, and nesting material.