Both honey bees and bumble bees have been shown to be excellent vectors ofbiological control agents that suppress pests on various crops. Honey bee andbumble bee hives can be fitted with special dispensers that contain inocula ofbiological control agents (bacteria, fungi and viruses) that are antagonistic tomicrobial and fungal plant pathogens and to pest insects. The technology has beenused successfully against grey mould on soft and tender fruit (strawberries andraspberries), fire blight on pome fruit (pears and apples), and potentially againstsclerotinia on oil seeds (canola). Similarly, viral, bacterial, and fungal pathogens ofpest insects, such as corn earworm, pollen beetles, banded sunflower moths, andtarnished plant bugs on alfalfa, canola, and sunflower can be delivered to flowersto help protect the crop while improving yields and crop quality through pollinationand reduced chemical pesticide load. The development of the technology requiresthat the biological control agent be effective against the pest, not harm thepollinating vector, and be environmentally acceptable. This new technology isreviewed and its successes noted.
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