New RT25 Data Will Help Beekeepers and Farmers Protect Pollinators

For Release: March 21, 2019

EPA is updating its Residual Time to 25% Bee Mortality (RT25) Data table with information the agency has collected since the table was first published in 2014. EPA published the RT25 data as one of many actions we have taken since 2006 to protect pollinators.

RT25 data help farmers and beekeepers know about how long a specific pesticide may remain toxic to bees and other insect pollinators following foliar application to crops. The new data reflect the results of studies the agency has analyzed as part of our routine pesticide regulatory activities. Putting this data online gives beekeepers and farmers more real-world opportunities to cooperate and protect bees. For example, farmers can choose pesticides that quickly lose their toxicity to bees. Applying the products in the evening helps ensure that by morning the pests have been dealt with and blooming crops are safe for bees.

EPA plans to update the table annually as we collect additional data going forward.