Suspected Pesticide Kill

[CpnObvious]

Although it's a little late now... Did you speak to him about letting you know when he's going to spray in the future?  How did that conversation go?

[Jen]

This is interesting sc-bee. Reading about 2-4d right now. Trying to understand how an herbicide would kill bees. I mean it's still a chemical and all.

So if the weeds had blooms when farmer sprayed, would an herbicide kill bees?

[sc-bee]

This is interesting sc-bee. Reading about 2-4d right now. Trying to understand how an herbicide would kill bees. I mean it's still a chemical and all.

So if the weeds had blooms when farmer sprayed, would an herbicide kill bees?

I have been searching also and am finding mixed info. Some saying depending on strength. Shot another letter to Clemson and asked. I will post the reply. It may not have been the cause. The only other thing they have sprayed on the trees is sulfur and oil as a fungicide.

[sc-bee]

Looks like a no.... not sure whether to be happy cause I scratch my head some more???

Terrestrial Invertebrates

    LC50 values for 24-hour exposures in honey bees (Apis mellifera) were estimated to be 104 and 115 μg per bee. Researchers estimated the LD50 at greater than 10 μg/bee, so 2,4-D is considered practically non-toxic.3 Effects on bee longevity varied according to dose and 2,4-D form.2
    2,4-D is not considered hazardous to beneficial insects due to its low insecticidal activity and an adequate safety margin when products containing 2,4-D are used at recommended levels.2,3
    Carabid beetles (Carabidae) exposed to sand dosed with 1 g/m2 exhibited greater than 50% mortality after 4 days.2
    The calculated 48-hour LC50 concentration for earthworms (Lumbricus rubellus) exposed to filter paper treated with 2,4-D was 61.6 μg/cm.22
    Effects of 2,4-D on soil microorganisms were species-dependent.2

[Jen]

Mkay, curious about the sulfer. Now, first of all I don't have any experience with these chemicals. So, I'm just learning along with you.

I do know that Iddee said that if you need to kill a hot hive, get your smoker going and put a tablespoon (I think) into the smoker and smoke the hive real good. The hot bees will die right away. Now, again, I don't know if the bees will eat that sulfer on the trees, or if the sulfer in itself will kill the bees.

Very curious situation for sure

I'm back with a sulfur update    http://pmep.cce.cornell.edu/profiles/extoxnet/pyrethrins-ziram/sulfur-ext.html, scroll down to Ecological Effect

[Ray]

I've never used sulfur, in my smoker.
What I've read: Burning the sulfur in the smoker gives off sulfur dioxide, which kills ALL the bees that come in contact with the smoke.

[sc-bee]

I've never used sulfur, in my smoker.
What I've read: Burning the sulfur in the smoker gives off sulfur dioxide, which kills ALL the bees that come in contact with the smoke.

Yes exactly...that is why she said kill a hot hive...

[Jen]

Hi Ray, sc-bee is correct on that. In my Hot Hive thread, iddee had suggested sulfur in a smoker to kill a hot hive. That's in case a hot hive cannot be tamed! The reason for sulfur is that you can reuse the hive and frames again.

[LazyBkpr]

SC is right about small town south, USA. If you call in the authorities, your name is mud. We have to take care of our own problems, or face exile. It dates back to when the moonshiners helped neighbors who were down and out, so no one wanted them caught.
Going to the local coffee house and badmouthing the farmer about recklessly spraying and killing the bees would have a much better effect, AFTER talking to the farmer and getting nowhere with him.

   What Iddee said..  You dont EVER call in authorities in a small town like the one I live in.  There is usually nothing they can do anyhow..  they need PROOF POSITIVE of any wrongdoing.. all YOU need is word..  meaning word spreads, and people talk.. if you are in good standing, someone is going to come to you and say.. HEY! This is what I just heard from such and such...  then you can ask questions, and it doesnt take long to be perfectly content with your knowledge, and then go confront the perpetrator..    97% of the time he will work to make amends, the other 3% of the time its a KID who doesnt yet understand the situation, so you go to his/her parents and that is usually enough to get things fixed...
  Pesticide spraying in this state by a commercial applicator is not legal within one mile of a registered apiary..  I have apiaries spread out so that I have about six miles around the town covered...   However, that doesnt stop a private individual from spraying right over top of my hives LEGALLY, giving me no recourse...   
    Enter the statement above --  I have spoken with and personally KNOW all landowners around this town, there are actually not that many..   They all have my number, they all know to call me if they are going to spray insecticides.. If they fail to call me, and I confront them, they offer to pay for the hive for forgetting. I have never accepted payment, I just ask not to forget again...    I often even get calls from people IN town who want to spray their gardens..
   The fact is, MOST sprays being applied now are not immediately lethal to honey bees. (orchards not withstanding. I have no clue what is sprayed on orchards.) Herbicides like Roundup or 24d dont leave dying bees outside your hive. the stuff that does that is now mostly incorporated, or systemic. Giving you time to rotate out older comb before it can become a problem.
   Most issues I have witnessed personally, were from gardens. People applying SEVEN dust or other insecticides when their tomatoes are in bloom etc..   Thats when I find three hundred dead bees in front of my hive.  SEVEN dust, and Bayer advanced complete insect killer being two of the worst to date.  the bees LIKE the dust and fly it back to the hive as if it were pollen....   Of course, that makes finding it in the hive pretty easy.

[sc-bee]

I have talked to the land owner not the leaser. He has some other land I can use for a yard. It is not as convenient but it is too the north of the county and out of the peaches. It is on a creek and there still should be tulip popular and blackberries and to boot he said there is a little sour wood on the creek.

[Ray]

Totally garbled rant about the miss use of pesticides! Alcohol may have beeen involved . Sure wish there was a 'changed my mind button'.   

I am trying to distill my rant down to; It's too easy to acquire poisons in this country (USA)!