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Author Topic: How to protect hives during insect spraying?  (Read 1863 times)

Offline 2Sox

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How to protect hives during insect spraying?
« on: July 31, 2018, 10:40:40 am »
Here in the boroughs of NYC, the mayors for 20 years (or more) have had a thing for dispensing larvicides and insecticides for mosquito control. No need to go into the politics or ecological consequences. The spraying with be aerial larvicide and truck dispensed insecticides from 9PM-6AM, starting tonight.

NYC is very large with outlying areas that are very countrified. My hives are in Queens with many parks and green backyards. My neighborhood is 90% Asian, and all who can, grow vegetables in their back yards.  This is the setting, to give an idea of the environment.

My question:  What can I do to afford the best protection for my eight hives in my back yard during this spraying?  They are all placed on horizontal 4"x"x8's which rest on cinder blocks.  All have screened bottom boards and vented top supers (Kelley Bees) all year round except when I treat with MAQS.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions you can give.

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Offline Dallasbeek

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Re: How to protect hives during insect spraying?
« Reply #1 on: July 31, 2018, 12:55:43 pm »
It depends on the pesticide they are spraying.  Here in Dallas, they allegedly use something that breaks down quickly in sunlight.  They also have a registry for beekeepers.  You put in the location of hives and they allegedly skip spraying in your immediate area.  But with wind drift and human error, I'm not sure how well that works.  Some people cover the hives with a tarp for the night when spraying is planned.  That may have some adverse effects, too, particularly when the weather is hot.  Spraying seems to me a very expensive proposition with little effect, since it doesn't do anything to kill the millions or billions of mosquito larvae, but it makes somebody feel good and it looks like the politicians are doing something.   
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Offline Bush_84

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Re: How to protect hives during insect spraying?
« Reply #2 on: July 31, 2018, 03:53:41 pm »
I am curious myself. I have lots of soybeans around me. I understand that aphids can become an issue and get sprayed for. One of my neighbors gave me an FYI that the field across the road would be sprayed. I haven?t seen obvious issues. I understand it must be done but not sure what I can do other than encourage them to spay on a calm and cool morning.
Keeping bees since 2011.

Also please excuse the typos.  My iPad autocorrect can be brutal.

Offline Dallasbeek

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Re: How to protect hives during insect spraying?
« Reply #3 on: July 31, 2018, 05:01:00 pm »
Bush, how are those tofu growers reacting to the tariff wars?
"Liberty lives in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no laws, no court can save it." - Judge Learned Hand, 1944

Offline 2Sox

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Re: How to protect hives during insect spraying?
« Reply #4 on: July 31, 2018, 06:07:48 pm »
DUET and/or Anvil is being truck sprayed for adult mosquitos.   I don't know the aerial larvicide being used.

Yes, I've heard of tarps being used also. Others have used sheets, although I don't understand the logic in this.  I'm ready to cover the hives with 3 MIL plastic drop cloths hung from a cloths line OR I just might drape them right over the hives - 2 rows of 4 in a row. Then I'll slide in the covers for the screened bottom boards and put hardware cloth on entrances until I awaken, well after 6 am. Everything is removed then. There will still be air flow but hopefully not enough for too much poison to get in.

Shite. I cringe at what will happen during the next few days foraging afterwards...
"Good will is the desire to have something else stronger and more beautiful for this desire makes oneself stronger and more beautiful." - Eli Siegel, American educator, poet, founder of Aesthetic Realism

Offline Bush_84

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Re: How to protect hives during insect spraying?
« Reply #5 on: July 31, 2018, 10:33:39 pm »
Bush, how are those tofu growers reacting to the tariff wars?

Haven?t really heard much griping but I honestly don?t talk to them to much.

2sox ya there?s two problems. First escaping the initial spray then the issue of foraging on a pesticide laden plant. Nothing you can do to prevent the bees visiting a pesticide laden plant.
Keeping bees since 2011.

Also please excuse the typos.  My iPad autocorrect can be brutal.

Offline 2Sox

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Re: How to protect hives during insect spraying?
« Reply #6 on: July 31, 2018, 11:36:16 pm »

[/quote]

2sox ya there?s two problems. First escaping the initial spray then the issue of foraging on a pesticide laden plant. Nothing you can do to prevent the bees visiting a pesticide laden plant.
[/quote]

Yes, that's the tragedy of it all.
"Good will is the desire to have something else stronger and more beautiful for this desire makes oneself stronger and more beautiful." - Eli Siegel, American educator, poet, founder of Aesthetic Realism

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: How to protect hives during insect spraying?
« Reply #7 on: July 31, 2018, 11:53:46 pm »
Beekeepers here in N FL are losing their bees in large numbers. Last fall I lost 12 out of 14 hives to spraying.
A friend of mine was sprayed while trying to close up her hives after receiving a last minute warning call. She was covered in a green slime and ended up in the hospital. Even though she closed up all of the hives, she lost 100 of them. The green slime was on the hives and still killed the bees.
I recommend you use some type of tarp to protect the hive and keep the poisons off of the hives.
Jim
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Offline Beeboy01

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Re: How to protect hives during insect spraying?
« Reply #8 on: August 01, 2018, 02:09:49 pm »
I was sprayed about six weeks ago here in Volusia County. Heard the plane flying a cross pattern after the sun went down and had one pass go directly over my yard. Luckily there was no noticeable kills or problems over the following weeks.
  I called the mosquito control office and am now on the call list for what ever good it will do.  They were good enough to call me back after I complained about the spraying and seemed concerned about any side effect the spraying caused.   

Offline Michael Bush

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Re: How to protect hives during insect spraying?
« Reply #9 on: August 01, 2018, 03:40:16 pm »
Before two weeks ago I hadn't had a major impact from spraying for 17 years... but this last one took 20% of the hives out completely and set the rest back.  I don't know what they are spraying, but it's different.  The hives were strong on Sunday, by Friday the small hive beetle larvae had hatched and there were no bees in the colony, so I would guess that Wednesday they disappeared.  No dead bees to speak of.  A few frantic and dying a few quivering and dying, but no piles of dead bees as I've had in the past.
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Offline 2Sox

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Re: How to protect hives during insect spraying?
« Reply #10 on: August 03, 2018, 06:10:22 pm »
Before two weeks ago I hadn't had a major impact from spraying for 17 years... but this last one took 20% of the hives out completely and set the rest back.  I don't know what they are spraying, but it's different.  The hives were strong on Sunday, by Friday the small hive beetle larvae had hatched and there were no bees in the colony, so I would guess that Wednesday they disappeared.  No dead bees to speak of.  A few frantic and dying a few quivering and dying, but no piles of dead bees as I've had in the past.

Beeboy, sounds like you were lucky.  But I'm sorry to hear about what happened to you, Michael.  Something we all have to live with, and do the best we can.
"Good will is the desire to have something else stronger and more beautiful for this desire makes oneself stronger and more beautiful." - Eli Siegel, American educator, poet, founder of Aesthetic Realism

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: How to protect hives during insect spraying?
« Reply #11 on: August 03, 2018, 07:49:17 pm »
Michael,
Sorry to hear about your bees dying. I have been told that instead of using BT A they are now using BT E. The BT E is deadly to all insects where BT A is harmless to bees. They are also using a green slime that is so bad it will get you sick.
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

 

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