POLLINATOR PROTECTION 

REQUIREMENTS FOR SECTION 18 

EMERGENCY EXEMPTIONS AND 

SECTION 24(c) SPECIAL LOCAL 

NEED REGISTRATIONS IN 

WASHINGTON STATE 

REGISTRATION SERVICES PROGRAM 

PESTICIDE MANAGEMENT DIVISION 

WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

AGR PUB 631-225 (R/03/30/2010)
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TABLE OF CONTENTS 

I. Introduction to WSDA Section 18 and SLN Pollinator Protection Requirements ... page 

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II. WSDA Active Ingredient Requirements for Pollinator Protection Statements ... page 3 

III. WSDA Crop / Site Requirements for Pollinator Protection Statements ... page 5 

IV. Format of WSDA Pollinator Protection Statements ... page 7 

V. Background Information 

a. Bee Pollination of Crops Grown in Washington State ... page 8 

b. Bee Kills Reported in Washington State ... page 8 

c. Selected References ... page 9 
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I. Introduction to WSDA Section 18 and SLN Pollinator Protection Requirements 

Pollinator Protection Statements (PPS) are required for pesticides that (1) are highly or 

moderately toxic to adult bees (or adversely affect brood development), and (2) are applied to a 

crop or site that is attractive to bees or has been determined by WSDA to be associated with 

bee kills. 

Insecticides are classified as being highly toxic (acute LD50 less than 2ug/bee), moderately toxic 

(acute LD50 2ug/bee to 10.99ug/bee), slightly toxic (acute LD50 11ug/bee to 100ug/bee) or 

practically non-toxic (acute LD50 more than 100ug/bee) to adult bees. Insecticides that are highly 

or moderately toxic to bees are further classified as having a long (more than 8 hours), 

intermediate (4 to 8 hours) or short (less than 4 hours) residual hazard to adult bees. The length 

of residual hazard depends on the active ingredient, formulation, species of bee, use rate, weather 

conditions, and repellency (e.g. certain pyrethroids when used under arid conditions). 

PPS are not generally required for insecticides that are slightly toxic or practically non-toxic to 

adult bees, unless adverse effects on brood (larval and/or pupal) development have been reported 

(e.g. fenoxycarb, flubendiamide, novaluron, spirodiclofen, spirotetramat). PPS are not generally 

required for other types of pesticides (e.g. fungicides, herbicides). However, certain fungicides 

(e.g. boscalid, captan, iprodione, pyraclostrobin) require PPS, since adverse effects on brood 

development have been reported. PPS are based on toxicity, residual hazard and WSDA’s 

experience with bee kill incidents. PPS are subject to revision by WSDA. Alternative PPS will 

be reviewed by WSDA to determine if they provide adequate pollinator protection. 

II. WSDA Active Ingredient Requirements for Pollinator Protection Statements (PPS)* 

a. Do not apply to blooming crops or broadleaf weeds, PPS required by WSDA (highly or 

moderately toxic to adult bees):

Abamectin (more than 0.025 lb ai/ acre) Fenvalerate (more than 0.1 lb ai/acre) 

Acephate Gamma-cyhalothrin (0.015 lb ai/acre) 

Azinphos-methyl Imidacloprid (0.25 lb ai/acre) 

Bendiocarb Lambda-cyhalothrin (0.03 lb ai/acre) 

Bifenthrin (0.06 lb ai/acre or more) Malathion ULV (8 fl oz/acre or more) 

Carbaryl WP Malathion WP 

Carbaryl XLR (more than 1.5 lb ai/acre) Methamidophos 

Carbaryl 4F (2.0 lb ai/ acre or more) Methidathion 

Carbofuran F Methiodicarb 

Chlorpyrifos EC or WP Methyl parathion EC or ME 

Clothianidin Naled 

Cyfluthrin Permethrin (Western Washington) 

Cypermethrin (more than 0.025 lb ai/acre) Phosmet 

Diazinon EC or WP Pirimiphos-methyl 

Dimethoate EC or WP Propoxur 

DDVP (Dichlorvos) Thiamethoxam 

Esfenvalerate (0.0375 lb ai/acre) Zeta-cypermethrin 

Fenpropathrin 
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b. Do not apply to blooming crops or broadleaf weeds, PPS required by WSDA (adverse effects 

on brood development have been reported):

Boscalid Novaluron 

Captan Pyraclostrobin 

Fenoxycarb Spirodiclofen 

Flubendiamide Spirotetramat 

Iprodione Ziram 

c. When crops or broadleaf weeds are blooming apply in late evening only (between 6PM and 

Midnight), PPS required by WSDA:

Abamectin (0.025 lb ai/ acre or less) Gamma-cyhalothrin (0.01 lb ai/acre) 

Bifenthrin (0.04 lb ai/acre) Imidacloprid (0.1 lb ai/acre) 

Carbaryl XLR (1.5 lb ai/acre or less) Lambda-cyhalothrin (0.02 lb ai/acre) 

Carbaryl 4F (1.0 lb ai/ acre or less) Malathion EC 

Disulfoton EC (1.0 lb ai/acre) Oxamyl (1 lb ai/acre or more) 

Endosulfan (more than 0.5 lb ai/acre) Permethrin (Eastern Washington) 

Esfenvalerate (0.025 lb ai/acre) Tebufenozide 

Fenvalerate (0.1 lb ai/acre or less) Trichlorfon 

Fipronil 

d. When crops or broadleaf weeds are blooming apply between late evening and early morning 

only (between 6PM and 7AM), PPS required by WSDA:

Acetamiprid Malathion ULV (3 fl oz/acre or less) 

Azadirachtin Methomyl 

Bifenazate Oxamyl (0.5 lb ai/acre or less) 

Bifenthrin (less than 0.04 lb ai/acre) Oxydemeton-methyl 

Chlorfenapyr Petroleum oil / horticultural mineral oil 

Chlorpyrifos ULV (0.05 lb ai/acre or less) Pirimicarb 

Cypermethrin (0.025 lb ai/acre or less) Propoxur ULV (0.07 lb ai/acre or less) 

Cyromazine Pymetrozine 

DDVP (Dichlorvos) ULV (0.1 lb ai/acre or 

less) 

Pyrethrins 

Deltamethrin Pyridaben 

Diatomaceous earth Rotenone 

Disulfoton EC (0.5 lb ai/acre) Spinetoram 

Emamectin benzoate Spinosad 

Endosulfan (0.5 lb ai/acre or less) Thiacloprid 

Fluvalinate Thiodicarb 

Formetanate hydrochloride Tralomethrin 

Indoxacarb 

 
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e. PPS not required by WSDA:

Acequinocyl Ethoprop granular 

Aldicarb granular – Applied at least 4 weeks 

before bloom 

Etoxazole 

Allethrin Fenbutatin-oxide 

Amitraz Fenpyroximate 

Ammonium thiosulfate Flonicamid 

Bacillus thuringiensis Garlic 

Beauvaria bassianna Hexythiazox 

Buprofezin Kaolin clay 

Capsaicin Lime-sulfur (calcium polysulfide) 

Carbaryl bait or granular Malathion granular 

Carbofuran granular Metaldehyde bait 

Chlorantraniliprole Methoxyfenozide 

Chlorpyrifos granular NAA (1-Naphthaleneacetic acid) 

Clofentezine Phorate granular 

Cryolite Potassium salts of fatty acids 

Cydia pomonella granulosis virus Potassium silicate 

Cyhexatin Propargite 

Diazinon granular Propoxur granular 

Dicofol Pyriproxyfen 

Diflubenzuron Sulfur 

Disulfoton granular Triazamate 

Ethephon 

*Products which will not contact bloom (e.g. soil-applied products, seed treatment products) do 

not require PPS. 

III. WSDA Crop / Site Requirements for Pollinator Protection Statements (PPS)

• Alfalfa hay or Alfalfa grown for seed: PPS required due to concern with blooming crop. 

There are some exceptions to the active ingredient requirements noted above, due to different 

sensitivities of alkali bees and alfalfa leafcutting bees (compared with honey bees). 

• Apple: PPS required due to concern with blooming crop and broadleaf weeds. 

• Apricot: PPS required due to concern with blooming crop and broadleaf weeds. 

• Aquatic site: PPS not required. 

• Asparagus or Asparagus grown for seed: PPS required due to concern with blooming crop. 

• Barley: PPS not required. 

• Bean: PPS required due to concern with blooming lima beans only. PPS not required for 

other species of beans. 

• Blueberry: PPS required due to concern with blooming crop and broadleaf weeds. 

• Buckwheat or Buckwheat grown for seed: PPS required due to concern with blooming crop. 
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• Cabbage: PPS not required. 

• Cabbage grown for seed: PPS required due to concern with blooming crop. 

• Canola: PPS required due to concern with blooming crop. 

• Carrot: PPS not required. 

• Carrot grown for seed: PPS required due to concern with blooming crop. 

• Cherry: PPS required due to concern with blooming crop and broadleaf weeds. 

• Chickpea (Garbanzo bean): PPS not required. 

• Christmas trees: PPS not required. 

• Clover hay or Clover grown for seed: PPS required due to concern with blooming crop. 

• Corn: PPS required due to concern with pollen-shedding corn. 

• Cottonwood / Poplar plantations: PPS required due to concern with blooming broadleaf 

weeds. In addition, trees may be visited by honey bees as a source of propolis. 

• Cranberry: PPS required due to concern with blooming crop and broadleaf weeds. 

• Cucumber: PPS required due to concern with blooming crop. 

• Currant: PPS required due to concern with blooming crop and broadleaf weeds. 

• Evening primrose: PPS required due to concern with blooming crop. 

• Flower bulb (Daffodil, Iris, Lily, Tulip): PPS not required. 

• Garlic: PPS not required. 

• Grape (wine or juice): PPS required due to concern with blooming broadleaf weeds. 

• Grass hay or Grass grown for seed: PPS not required (unless grass hay is grown with a 

legume, such as alfalfa or clover, that is attractive to bees). 

• Holly: PPS required due to concern with blooming crop. 

• Hops: PPS not required. 

• Lentils: PPS not required. 

• Mint: PPS required due to concern with blooming crop. 

• Mushroom: PPS not required. 

• Nectarine: PPS required due to concern with blooming crop and broadleaf weeds. 

• Onion: PPS not required. 

• Onion grown for seed: PPS required due to concern with blooming crop. 

• Pea: PPS required due to concern with blooming Austrian winter peas (Lathyrus spp.) only.

PPS not required for other species of peas. 

• Peach: PPS required due to concern with blooming crop and broadleaf weeds. 

• Pear: PPS required due to concern with blooming crop and broadleaf weeds. 
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• Pepper: PPS not required. 

• Plum: PPS required due to concern with blooming crop and broadleaf weeds. 

• Potato: PPS required due to concern with drift onto adjacent blooming seed crops. 

• Pumpkin: PPS required due to concern with blooming crop. 

• Radish: PPS not required. 

• Radish grown for seed: PPS required due to concern with blooming crop. 

• Raspberry: PPS required due to concern with blooming crop and broadleaf weeds. 

• Rhododendron: PPS required due to concern with blooming crop. 

• Spinach or Spinach grown for seed: PPS not required. 

• Strawberry: PPS required due to concern with blooming crop and broadleaf weeds. 

• Timothy/alfalfa hay or timothy/clover hay: PPS required due to concern with blooming 

legume crop. 

• Tomato: PPS not required. 

• Watermelon: PPS required due to concern with blooming crop. 

• Wheat: PPS not required. 

IV. Format of WSDA Pollinator Protection Statements (PPS) 

PPS shall consist of a description of the hazard to bees, followed by a statement consistent with 

WSDA requirements for the active ingredient and the crop / site. Here are several examples of 

PPS that have been approved by WSDA: 

1. Insecticide with intermediate residual hazard to bees (disulfoton) used on asparagus: “This 

product is toxic to bees exposed to direct application. Do not apply this product to blooming 

asparagus if bees are visiting the treatment area. Applications to blooming asparagus must 

be timed to coincide with periods of minimum bee activity, between late evening and 

midnight.”

2. Insecticides with a long residual hazard to bees (acephate, chlorpyrifos) used on carrot 

grown for seed: “This product is highly toxic to bees exposed to direct treatment or residues 

on blooming crops or broadleaf weeds. Do not apply this product to blooming carrot seed 

during the pollination period: apply as a pre-bloom spray, or apply at the end of the 

pollination period. Bee colonies used for pollination should be removed from the field being 

treated prior to the application. Notify beekeepers pollinating crops within 1⁄4 mile of the 

field to be treated at least 48 hours prior to the application.” 

3. Insecticide with long residual hazard to bees (phosmet) used on apple, hawthorne, pear, 

plum and prune: “This product is highly toxic to bees exposed to direct treatment or 

residues on blooming crops or broadleaf weeds. Do not apply this product or allow it to drift 

to blooming trees or broadleaf weeds. Broadleaf weed bloom must be controlled prior to the 

application.”
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4. Insecticides with long residual hazard to bees (carbofuran, phosmet, thiamethoxam) used on 

potato: “NOTE: Severe bee kills have resulted from insecticides that were applied to 

potatoes, but drifted onto blooming seed crops. Do not allow this product to drift onto 

blooming seed crops.”

5. Insecticide with a long or intermediate residual hazard to bees, depending on use rate 

(endosulfan), used on alfalfa grown for seed: “This product is highly toxic to bees exposed 

to direct treatment or residues on blooming crops or broadleaf weeds. Do not apply the 1.33 

quarts per acre (1 lb ai/A) rate of this product to blooming seed alfalfa: apply at that rate as 

a pre-bloom or post-bloom spray only. Application of the 1.33 pints per acre (0.5 lb ai/A) 

rate of this product to blooming seed alfalfa must be timed to coincide with periods of 

minimum bee activity, between late evening and midnight.”

V. Background Information 

a. Bee Pollination of Crops Grown in Washington State 

In 2005, the value of bee pollinated crops in the state of Washington was in excess of $1.8 

billion.

Bees are commercially managed for the pollination of a variety of crops in the state of 

Washington, including tree fruits (e.g. apple, apricot, cherry, peach, pear, plum, prune), berries 

(e.g. blueberry, cranberry, raspberry, strawberry), cucurbits (e.g. cucumber, pumpkin, squash, 

watermelon), and seed crops (e.g. alfalfa, cabbage, carrot, clover, onion, radish). Bees also 

pollinate a variety of fruit and vegetable plants in home gardens, as well as native plants. 

The honey bee is the most widely used pollinator, although several other species of bees also 

pollinate crops. These include the alfalfa leafcutting bee, alkali bee, bumble bee (several species) 

and orchard mason bee. 

b. Bee Kills Reported in Washington State 

Highly toxic insecticides with a long residual hazard to bees (either applied to or allowed to 

drift onto blooming crops or broadleaf weeds) are responsible for the majority of the bee kills 

reported in the state of Washington. 

From January 1, 1992, to December 31, 2005, there were approx. 176 bee kill incidents 

investigated by the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA). The insecticides

involved in the majority of these incidents were acephate, carbaryl, carbofuran, chlorpyrifos, 

dimethoate, methamidophos, methyl parathion and thiamethoxam. The crops involved in the 

majority of these incidents were apple, bean, canola, carrot seed, cherry, mint, pear and potato. 

In some cases, it appears that drift from the target crop onto an adjacent blooming crop was 

responsible for the incident. The species of bee involved was usually the honey bee, but there 

were approx. 4 incidents involving the alfalfa leafcutting bee. 

In addition, there were approx. 3 incidents investigated by the WSDA that involved the 

intentional misuse of an insecticide (amitraz, formic acid and permethrin) by a beekeeper. 

Prior to 1992, WSDA documented honey bee kills from insecticide applications to other crops, 

including: alfalfa hay, asparagus, clover seed, corn, holly and timothy hay. A WSU Cooperative 

Extension publication indicates that bumble bees have been killed by insecticide applications to 
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cranberry. Johansen and Mayer (1990) indicate that alkali bees were killed by insecticide 

applications to alfalfa hay. 

c. Selected References 

How to Reduce Bee Poisoning from Pesticides. Riedl, H., E. Johansen, L. Brewer and J. 

Barbour. 2006. Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR. 

(http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pdf/pnw/pnw591.pdf) 

Nectar and Pollen Plants of Oregon and the Pacific Northwest. Burgett, D.M., B.A. Stringer and 

L.D. Johnston. 1989. Honeystone Press, Blodgett, OR. 

Pollinator Protection: A Bee and Pesticide Handbook. Johansen, C.A. and D.F. Mayer. 1990. 

Wicwas Press, Cheshire, CT. 

For Additional Information, Please Contact:

Erik W. Johansen / Special Pesticide Registration Program Coordinator 

Washington State Department of Agriculture 

Pesticide Management Division 

1111 Washington Street SE, Second Floor 

PO Box 42560 

Olympia, WA 98504-2560 

Phone: 360-902-2078 

FAX: 360-902-2093 

E-mail: ejohansen@agr.wa.gov