Bee poop -- fertilizer

[Cindi]

Now this is rather an odd observation/question.  I notice that the grass in the apiary confines is extremely lush, and I mean extremely.  The grass surrounding the immediate apiary is not near so lush.

Any gurus in the the "fertilizer" field?  Does the chemical compostion of bee poop produce some kind of fertilizer that will enhance plant growth?  This could put a whole new spin on organic fertilizing if this is possible.

What about the death of bees?  Would this contribute to fertilization as well?  Organic decomposition, hmmm... Best of another wonderful day.  Cindi

[likes2grill]

I would think its the dead bees more than the poop plus the other things they clean out of the hive.

[AndersMNelson]

What about the bees pollinating the grass?  That leads me to a question: Does anyone worry about weed killers poisoning bees?  My dad sprays weeds around the house and I was wondering if my bees could get sick from it.

[Scadsobees]

Not only fertilize, but I don't cut the grass in front of the hives as often, so it does seem more lush because of that.

Weed killer can affect bees, but it is mostly weeds that it kills.  As long as your dad isn't broadcast spraying of weed killer, and not so close that a lot of fumes would drift, you should be ok.  Broadcast spraying of weedkiller would make it pretty hard for the lawn to grow.....

Rick

[Cindi]

Before I ventured into the world of bees I used to be an avid "roundup" herbicide user.  It was much easier to spray weeds than to try to control them.  I have assumed a different perspective on the pesticide and herbicide of my life, I don't use either around my acreage anymore.  The ways that I combat weed takeover is more diligent cutting of the cotyledons when they sprout from the ground, turning the earth upside down to rid grass growth and as many natural alternatives that I can.  I just have a paranoia about herbicide and pesticide.  Roundup is one of the least invasive of the herbicides as far as I have investigated, if it is used correctly, and this  emphasize.  If overspray occurs, it can cause mass devastation of neighbouring "good plants".  Once sprayed upon the plant it is quickly assimilated by the vegetative growth and "till under" can be accomplished in 3 days time, providing their is no rainfall.  Evidently, according to "roundup" specifications, this product becomes inert once it hits soil.  So I hear, but...I don't know about that for sure.

I still will use roundup around my property, but for extremely selective weed kill.  I will not spray as I once used to.  I will "paint" we shall call it, using a sponge, specific weeds that I know have deep tap roots, like doc.  It is an invasive weed that spreads thousands upon thousands of seeds, should the plant come to maturation.  This will be a very time consuming project once I begin, but I am willing to spend this moment in time.  It is important that herbicides (or pesticides for that matter again), do not come into contact with flowers (or weeds for that matter) that bees may forage upon or near.  Not to sound scary, but it is scary stuff, we must be very careful when devilling with chemicals.  Best of a great day.  Cindi

[AndersMNelson]

Yea my dad uses roundup too.  I wasn't that worried until someone told me foraging bees could get poisoned from pollinating grass.  Do bees pollinate actual grass, anyway?  I suppose the clovers in a lawn may expose them to grass, but I wonder...I wonder what grass honey tastes like  :shock:

[Michael Bush]

>I wonder what grass honey tastes like

I've seen them, in a dearth, gather grass pollen, but there is no nectar, of course, and they won't bother with the pollen when there are sources with nectar right there.

[BenC]

Once sprayed upon the plant it is quickly assimilated by the vegetative growth and "till under" can be accomplished in 3 days time, providing their is no rainfall.  Evidently, according to "roundup" specifications, this product becomes inert once it hits soil.  So I hear, but...I don't know about that for sure.

I will "paint" we shall call it, using a sponge, specific weeds

I used to use glyphosate or roundup extensively.  I've often wondered about it (along with several other scary things I used to spray) :shock:.  Does it become inert once it hits the soil?  I think that depends on the soil.  I have been taught (and believe I have seen fristhand)  that it can move in sandy soils, or soils which allow fast absorbtion of water.  I've also wondered about that dead plant material that absorbed the roundup.  What happens when a new plant grows up through the dead plant material, touching it?  Has the dead plant material rendered the chemical inert, trapping it forever, or can it re-release the chem, killing everything on it's way down to the soil? 
     If you are going to apply it, I think the painting technique is the safest. There is very little chance of drift or otherwise contacting non-targets.  At one time I had a device that was basically a hollow pvc pipe handle/ chem reservior, with a paint roller on the end.  Brush the roller against the target plant, and it was dead a few days later.
     As far as the lush grass is concerned, I think that dead bees definately make a contribution.  The area around my hives is a denser, darker green.  Walking upon the ground, I can tell it is softer.  If I kneel down and explore a little, I can see thousands of exoskeletons, all soft and moist.  That has got to be good for nutrient release, moisture retention, and aeration of the soil.

[Cindi]

BenC.  I have no clue about the chemical residue in dead plants.  Some of what you were saying make good sense, but I am not in any manner able to give any answer that would be of any credence.  I jsut know that I am not a big user of herbicides anymore, save the selective "painting" that I will use.

If you are going to apply it, I think the painting technique is the safest. There is very little chance of drift or otherwise contacting non-targets.  At one time I had a device that was basically a hollow pvc pipe handle/ chem reservior, with a paint roller on the end.  Brush the roller against the target plant, and it was dead a few days later.
     
I like the idea in the copied part of your post above.  That is an ingenious design for a tool.  I think that I could get my husband to construct something along that line for me.  He loves a challenge and he does pretty darn good. 

Speaking of areation.  We let our ducks and chickens outside of their yard frequently and allow them to wander in an area that we have put temporary fences around, it goes from one side of our property to the other one so the dogs cannot have access to the birds.  Some of them would surely have a great dinner if they could get them.  Some of the dogs are terrified of them, especially the big honkin' geese.  These fowls have acess to the bee pen, in that the ducks like to squeeze through the goat fencing and go in there.  Go figure.  They say the grass is always greener.

Anyways, the Rowen ducks like particularly to squeeze through.  They do not even bother the bees one bit.  They are too focused on the earth and man do they have a great time in there.  I watch the ducks and they have their heads to the ground, hardly even taking a second to look up.  They like to go around the perimeter of the bee fence where the grass is somewhat taller.  I think they are getting slugs and bugs, good for them.  They are so funny, they have their heads in the grass and I can see them burrowing into the ground with their bills and wiggling their bills at the same time.  I guess the wiggling motion moves the ground enough that their bills can get in deep into the soil.  The soil is very soft in that bee pen.  It has not been compact by anything and of course all the exoskeletons that you speak about probably contribute to the softness. 

So, I was in the bee pen the other day just looking around and I cannot believe all the holes in their that are about the size of a quarter, maybe a little smaller.  Of course, the work of the ducks.  I am proud of them.  They have areated the area like nothing on this earth could do.  And I know that no more slugs are gonna try and sneak into the bees' houses.  LOL.  I am a lucky woman.

Enough, I can ramble and love to ramble on.  Best of another day.  Cindi




Have the best of a great day.  Cindi

[ndvan]

I recently read some reports about roundup that there are concerns that it breaks down into components that may kill frog embryos.  There apparently is concern that it is stopping frog and toad reproduction. Anybodyy else hear about this?