Warning to backyard beekeepers

[bonterra bees]

A WARNING TO ALL BACKYARD BEEKEEPERS!
After a complete and startling die off in a thriving colony I believe I have the "smoking gun". "Abamectin B1" and "Lambda-cyhalothrin" the active ingredients in Advance375A and Terro Ant Killer Shaker, respectively, are HIGHLY TOXIC TO BEES and I assume to many nectar seeking pollinators. These commonly available and commonly used ant treatments have no warning label indicating their toxicity to bees.
In an effort to stop the “carpenter ants” from destroying the timbers in my house I applied Advance375A, a foundation perimeter treatment, in close proximity to my hive. Shortly thereafter the whole colony died off in a matter of 4 days.

[Nabber86]

Did the bees start eating the treated timbers in your house or did you apply the pesticide granules directly to flowers that your bees are actively foraging? In other words, how do you surmise the bees were exposed to the poison?

[bonterra bees]

The treatment was spread around the perimiter foundation of the house. The hive entrance was five feet away, on the shady side of the house. the dew is heavy there and I'm assuming they foraged for water and brought the poisen into the hive. I researched those active chemicals and indeed they are "HIGHLY TOXIC TO BEES". There is no warning label on those commonly avaliable products to that effect.
I should have known better, now I do.

[justin]

most of the ant poisons are sugar based, it's food they are supposed to take back to the nest to poison the colony. the bees did too.

[EastSideBuzz]

Sorry for your loss. :cry: 5 feet from a treatment was a little close.

Helps us all realize that what we put into our soil can adverse effects on other wildlife. Can you imagine what that person that has a well downhill from your house is drinking.


All those yuppies with there green lawns are adding a bit of poison to our eco system to have those pretty lawns. :ot:

[Josh Carmack]

Can you imagine what that person that has a well downhill from your house is drinking.



unless they are drinking water from an unprotected well head they are drinking clean water.

Aside from seepage in unprotected wellheads water that hits the ground today takes several years to make it into an aquifer, as many as 100. the permetherins and other similar chemicals are natural to begin with, and are broken down in a matter of months by elements in the soil.

[jjgbee]

Several years for surface water to reach water table, maybe 100 years. BULL! That is data from computer models and is OLD science. In california and Arizona we are applying water to the surface for storage and it perks down 200 ft to the water table in 90 days. Ther is a USGS experiment where actual water applied to the surface went through 2 diffrent layers of clay 6 foot thick and got to the aquifer in 3 years. After the clay was wetted, water moved 200 foot to the aquifer in one year. Computer theory meets reality.

[EastSideBuzz]

All those yuppies with there green lawns are adding a bit of poison to our eco system to have those pretty lawns. :ot:

There I go again striking a vain and causing a heated discussion. Sorry. It is kind of a curse. :doh:

[CentralPAguy]

No, we are are downstream. Even rural individuals who drink soda/pop, are downstream as most bottling plants are placed where they are using treated water.

I have a friend who lives in a development right beside a good sized creek and she tells me when there is a heavy rain, it just foams. Don't want to think what might be in there.