As of 2026, the N.C. Department of Agriculture has been using a bee protection tool for ten years. That tool is an online-based program called BeeCheck, which is a voluntary bee hive registration system. It involves a database, mapping tools and communication channels. The purpose is to help protect bees from harmful pesticide drift, which in turn protects their honey and allows the bees to continue their role in pollinating plants.
Since honey bees and other pollinators help support the production of many crops grown across North Carolina, NCDA&CS – particularly the Structural Pest Control and Pesticides Division – began supporting BeeCheck on April 1, 2016. Ten years later, the department continues encouraging beekeepers and pesticide applicators to use the BeeCheck mapping program.
BeeCheck is a free communication tool that allows beekeepers to map the locations of their hives so pesticide applicators, farmers and landscapers can be aware of nearby apiaries before making applications. The goal is simple: help people work together to reduce the risk of unintended pesticide exposure to bees.
BeeCheck is operated by FieldWatch, Inc., a nonprofit organization that provides mapping tools for beekeepers, growers and pesticide applicators across North America. Registered apiaries appear on a secure map that applicators can check before spraying. Applicators can also register themselves to receive notifications when new hives are added in counties where they work.
“It gives farmers, landscapers and anybody applying a pesticide a chance to know where the bees are,” said Patrick Jones, director of the NCDA&CS Structural Pest Control and Pesticides Division. “If they know where the bees are, they can make better choices.”
Those choices can include:
-spraying later in the day when bees are less active,
-choosing products that are less toxic to pollinators, or
-selecting products that break down more quickly before bees begin foraging the next morning.
“In the state pollinator protection plan that we did, there’s a guide to help applicators figure out each pesticide’s level of harm to bees. It’s called the ‘Pesticide Toxicity to Bees Traffic Light.’ It’s based around the red light, yellow light and green light on traffic lights and parallels those to toxicities for pesticides,” Jones said. “Folks can go to that and see what’s more toxic to be used or what’s the least toxic to be used. It’s a pretty good resource.”
That state pollinator protection plan or strategy can be found online at https://www.ncagr.gov/divisions/structural-pest-control-and-pesticides/pesticide/pollinators/pollinator-protection-strategy
In the ten years since North Carolina began partnering with FieldWatch, and specifically BeeCheck, nearly 10,000 bee hives have been registered in the state. At last check, the exact number is 9,444 bee hives and 1,630 registered apiaries, which helps create a clearer picture of where managed bees are located across the state.
In addition to BeeCheck, growers of specialty crops (that may be damaged by certain herbicides) can registered their crops through a program called DriftWatch. It works similarly to BeeCheck but with the intention of protection those sensitive crops.
Jones emphasized that BeeCheck and DriftWatch are not regulatory programs. Participation is voluntary and based on open communication and a desire to look after pollinators, the environment and each other.
“It’s really about stewardship and working together,” Jones said.
Why it matters
Pollinators face pressure from habitat loss, disease and environmental changes. NCDA&CS’s pollinator initiatives encourage a multi-step approach: recognize existing pollinator habitat, avoid practices that unnecessarily harm pollinators and provide additional habitat where possible.
BeeCheck fits into that second step of helping applicators avoid unintended harm through better communication and planning.
The department’s Pollinators Program notes that bees and farms need each other. Up to a third of agricultural crops depend on pollination, and healthy pollinator populations benefit both agriculture and the broader environment.
For beekeepers, BeeCheck is a simple way to make nearby applicators aware of hive locations. For applicators, checking the map or registering for notifications in the counties where they work can provide valuable information before an application is made.
Learn more
- BeeCheck / FieldWatch: www.fieldwatch.com
- NCDA&CS Pollinators Page: www.ncagr.gov/divisions/structural-pest-control-and-pesticides/pesticide/pollinators/homepage