When is the best time to make pesticide applications so as to have minimal impacts on honey bees and other pollinators?

• A. During the day
• B. In the evening
• C. During the night
• D. At dawn

Answer: (C)

Bees and many pollinators do most of their foraging during daylight, so spraying when they’re not active helps protect them. At night, bees are typically inside the hive and not visiting flowers, which means far fewer insects come into contact with the pesticide droplets or contaminated nectar and pollen. This dramatically reduces the chance of forager bees bringing residue back to the colony or dying from direct exposure. Night applications also tend to occur under calmer conditions, which can limit spray drift to nearby flowering plants that pollinators might use. In practice, following label directions and avoiding spraying during bloom or when bees are actively foraging is essential, but applying after dusk takes advantage of the period when pollinators are least likely to be exposed.