Dead bees (from a spray?)

[Seymore]

The beard
Same hive, 3 days earlier

[balhanapi]

Oh man... That's heartbreaking. Hope u find out what happened and avoid it in future.

[Scottsman]

That has to make you sick, What was the proximity to the poison ?

[Seymore]

They were spraying on the road. The bees were setting back, less than 1/4 mile, more than 1/8 mile. 3/16. I think my other 2 hives were protected from denser trees. I just hope I don't go home and see more of the same on my other two hives!

[FindlayBee]

Have the bees tested. Find out who did the spraying. Chances are the people who sprayed are liable for the damage to your honey bees. If you are required to register your hives and you are, you most likely have a way to recover your losses by going after the applicator of the spray.

The hives might be contaminated with chemicals not approved for use on or in food.

[Seymore]

I had said to myself well, at least I can use the comb. Then someone in another thread mentioned the contamination, which I hadn't thought of. Really, really, really a waste. How do you attribute a cost to THAT? Ugh.

[Kazzandra]

They were spraying on the road. The bees were setting back, less than 1/4 mile, more than 1/8 mile. 3/16. I think my other 2 hives were protected from denser trees. I just hope I don't go home and see more of the same on my other two hives!

Did you determine, then, that this was the electric company? Who is the "they?"

[Seymore]

Yes, electric company. "an herbicide." He doesn't know what was in "the concoction, probably a mix of several things." I told him I wanted to know exactly what ingredients were sprayed. I asked why we weren't notified of a spray - he said "sorry." That made all the difference in the world! (yeah, right)

[odfrank]

Here I had good luck with my local county agricultural commissioner who also regulates pest control. I doubt it was the spraying that selectively killed one hive. Suffocation maybe?

[djei5]

Can you post bigger pics?

[Seymore]

Dj... R u funnin' me???

[djei5]

Clicked on em but they never got bigger, sorry, just too small for my eyes. Do feel for you though, what a pity.

[Seymore]

Clicked on em but they never got bigger

Oh, ok, I thught they had come across huge. Yes, will edit and repost larger.

Kaz, will do an update when I hear. Texted the guy yesterday who said he would get my contact info to the peole who could tell me what was sprayed. Told him I was still waiting. He asked me for my address and said he'd get it to me himself. So....he couldn't do that last week?? NOW he can find out? I just sorta think what I get from him will not necessarily match with what was actually sprayed. YA THINK??!

[Intheswamp]

Document, document, document... It sounds to me like their delaying and letting the evidence "drift away". This isn't there first rodeo, I'm sure. I would give them a set amount of time to respond. If they don't respond then send them a bill for the damages. If they don't pay take them to small claims court or higher if the damages are higher....let a judge decide what happened. I think it would be one of those "duh" things in most anyone's mind that the hive in the closest proximity to the spraying died shortly after the spraying was done and the other two that were further away and somewhat shielded had no problems. That's a mighty long shot. They sprayed, bees died,....hello?

They will drag their feet, stammer, stutter, and finally come up with a receipt where they purchased a bottle of Terror sugar syrup to kill ants. They don't want to find out what happened, they don't want *you* to find out what happened, they don't won't to make it right with you, they just want you to go away. Document this whole situation.

Fair warning, I'm not a lawyer...but I *think* I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express once.

Ed

[Kazzandra]

Keep us posted on this, Seymore. I have always looked at my electric company, who also uses contractors to spray herbicide, with suspicion. Doubtlessly keeping their contractors rotated makes it very easy to use things off-label and have no accountability. I really looooove the answers you got from them. That's bull.