[Ambassador]

To help combat the spread of Eastern Equine Encephalitis Michigan is spraying selected areas of the state with Merus 3.0 which is a pyrethrum product. The closest spray area is 25 miles NE of us with another area SE of us. Although I'm not in the spray zone directly I'm curious if I should keep the girls locked up for a day to help avoid any exposure to account for potential difting. Thoughts or suggestions?

 

[RayMarler]

I don't know what they are using, it changes every couple of years, but I live where the area gets sprayed once a week just at the end of dusk by airplane. This goes on for three months, in the area and including right over the top of my house and beeyard. I used to think it was the cause of my hive losses, but I've proven myself wrong. If I make sure bees are well fed and medicated against mites, then my bees do fine. I'm sure the mosquito spraying has some negative effect, but if there is one, it's not nearly as noticeable as heavy varroa mite infestations and lack of good forage. And Oh, I do not do anything special with the hives on the nights they spray or the days after, nothing special or different at all.

When I first moved here the mosquitos were so bad they covered the walls in the house. I'd kill multiples of ten's every night before bed, and wake up with multiples more in the mornings. Now, nary a skeeter in the house, I'll take the mosquito sprays any time. I don't know what they have figured out and what they are using, but it's a relief to be practically mosquito free living at the edge of large rice fields in the hot summers I get here.

 

[357]

I pulled my honey yesterday in the rain because they were going to spray at 8PM. Got lit up by my bees for my trouble, in part because it's easier to sting through wet gloves. I was going to harvest soon anyway but NOT in the rain. Then I found out after I was done they cancelled it due to the rain. No rescheduled spraying planned. I'm directly in the zone. I read they were planning to spray 14 counties. I just didn't want that stuff tracked into any uncapped honey or even on the cappings. No clue if it's a big deal or not, just rather be safe.

 

[the doc]

I sent them an email to opt out even though they are not currently doing my specific area

they say they won’t spray within 1000 ft

 

[Murdock]

As long as they spray when it is dark you are probably fine. I would add a tarp loosely over the hive if they were spraying directly overhead.

 

[sjj]

I don't know what they are using, it changes every couple of years, but I live where the area gets sprayed once a week just at the end of dusk by airplane. This goes on ...

It is not a such big problem now in October as it is in late March, April, May, June, July, September.

 

[RayMarler]

I get the spray for all of July, August, and September.
My hives seem to do well so long as I feed during dearth and treat for varroa.