There is an increasing buzz around honey bees and other pollinators in the state.
Honey bees are important to agriculture and our food supply. But reports of their demise has prompted us to reach out to Nevada’s bug man for some answers.
Jeff Knight, state entomologist with the Nevada Department of Agriculture, talked with KNPR's State of Nevada about the bee troubles.
"Right now, we don't see much of a threat as far as our honey bees go," Knight said.
He said that several other areas have suffered colony collapse disorder, where whole colonies of bees have died off; however, Nevada has not had that problem, and in fact, there are more bees in Nevada than we've ever had.
A report about bees and other pollinators and how to better protect them will be released next year.
The Pollinator Protection Plan outlines ways for beekeepers, people in agriculture and those in commercial pest control to look after bees, wasps, butterflies and beetles around the state.
Those insects are among the biggest pollinators, but while pesticides can kill bugs that farmers don't want in their fields and orchards, they also kill the bugs they do want, like bees.
"There is a lot of research going on right now on various pesticides to see what their real impacts are on pollinators," Knight said.
Another pollinator that has been under scrutiny has been the Africanized honey bee. Knight said it is the same species as the European honey bee, just a different variety.
The Africanized honey bee is often referred to as the 'killer bee.' It does the same thing as the European bee, but it is much more aggressive in protecting its colony.
There have been a number of stinging incidents involving the Africanized bee.
Knight said that any "non-managed hive" in Southern Nevada is going be Africanized bees.
Jeff Knight, entomologist, State of Nevada