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Author Topic: Four hives poisoned  (Read 2698 times)

Offline Oblio13

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Four hives poisoned
« on: May 28, 2013, 06:44:12 pm »
I put two hives at a friend's house last year, and added two more this year. This morning he called me up and told me they were "booming" and that I should come over to see. I drove over and as soon as I stepped out of my truck I smelled insecticide. We had talked about the importance of not spraying, but he had done it anyway. He didn't even know what it was, just "something for lawns", but he "didn't go near the hives". We walked over to look at them, and there were thousands of dead and dying bees around the entrances. Bees kept falling out, squirming around for a few minutes, and dying. I opened three of the hives, there were a few live bees but not a lot. This is incredibly depressing.

Offline sweet bee

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Re: Four hives poisoned
« Reply #1 on: May 28, 2013, 07:44:46 pm »
That's awful! I really hope your friend offers to reimburse you for your loss.  If it was sprayed on the lawn and not around the hives, how did it do so much damage??

Angie
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Offline Bees In Miami

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Re: Four hives poisoned
« Reply #2 on: May 28, 2013, 08:04:41 pm »
How absolutely horrible!!!  I am so very sorry to hear this!!   :'(  What in the world did he say when the bees were dying in front of his eyes???   :shock:  I agree he should take full responsibility for replacing the bees, and I would be suspect of that equipment for some time, as well!  What a shame.... 

Offline Just5398

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Re: Four hives poisoned
« Reply #3 on: May 28, 2013, 08:05:18 pm »
I'm so sorry! 
Sally

Offline asprince

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Re: Four hives poisoned
« Reply #4 on: May 28, 2013, 08:27:23 pm »
Bummer. I know how you must feel. I had 20 to get hit with aerial spraying. It was not a pretty sight.


Good Luck,

Steve
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Offline Oblio13

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Re: Four hives poisoned
« Reply #5 on: May 28, 2013, 08:46:44 pm »
.... If it was sprayed on the lawn and not around the hives, how did it do so much damage??

Angie

I'm guessing the bees thought the droplets were water and they collected it and brought it back to the hives.

Offline Oblio13

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Re: Four hives poisoned
« Reply #6 on: May 28, 2013, 08:48:44 pm »
.... What in the world did he say when the bees were dying in front of his eyes???  .... 

He was wondering if it was the insecticide that had done it. I don't think he quite grasped what he had done, but it was starting to sink in. I left without saying much.

Offline Kathyp

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Re: Four hives poisoned
« Reply #7 on: May 28, 2013, 09:26:46 pm »
i'm sure he thought that if he sprayed the lawn and didn't go near the hives, it was ok. it's actually a very logical assumption.  did the bees have a water source that they usually use?

you will never keep people from spraying.  i spray stuff sometimes.  rather than educating them on the dangers of spraying, try educating them on the right kinds of sprays and the best time to spray.

won't help you now, but maybe for the next time....or the next person.

it sucks, but it happens.....
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Offline capt44

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Re: Four hives poisoned
« Reply #8 on: May 29, 2013, 12:21:20 pm »
I had a bee keeper friend last year put Amdro Ant granuales around his house last year.
The bees were attracted to the sweet bait it has.
He lost 7 hives quick.
Richard Vardaman (capt44)

Offline HomeSteadDreamer

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Re: Four hives poisoned
« Reply #9 on: May 29, 2013, 12:27:48 pm »
While it is a terrible loss.  I don't think you can expect your friend to reimburse you for messing up a favor.  Unless you were paying him to host your hives.

It sounds like an honest mistake.  Hopefully it did dawn on him that he killed the bees and will not do such a thing again.  But perhaps storing hives at his house that you aren't willing to lose isn't a good idea because he obviously does spray his lawn and instead of calling you to ask what might happen or if it would be ok for the bees he just reckoned that if he stayed away for the hives they'd be ok.

I'm sorry for your loss.  I'm still new enough I morn each bee I kill by accident yet alone whole hives dying.

Offline mikecva

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Re: Four hives poisoned
« Reply #10 on: May 29, 2013, 12:51:54 pm »
We beekeepers have fighting Loudoun County because they want to spray large areas for Lime and other things. We keep telling them the 2 - 3 mile range of the bees and how their spraying (from the air) does not drop straight down but drifts with the wind.They sprayed anyway. The only good thing is it rained real hard that afternoon about 2 hours after the scheduled spraying (they were not smart enough to delay the spraying due to bad weather). Now they do not have the money to respray.   -Mike
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Offline Switchback

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Re: Four hives poisoned
« Reply #11 on: May 29, 2013, 12:56:57 pm »
Sorry to here about your bee poisoning.
 
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Offline derekm

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Re: Four hives poisoned
« Reply #12 on: June 02, 2013, 04:58:43 pm »
i'm sure he thought that if he sprayed the lawn and didn't go near the hives, it was ok. it's actually a very logical assumption.  did the bees have a water source that they usually use?

you will never keep people from spraying.  i spray stuff sometimes.  rather than educating them on the dangers of spraying, try educating them on the right kinds of sprays and the best time to spray.

won't help you now, but maybe for the next time....or the next person.

it sucks, but it happens.....

our bees which have a pond within a few metres which is their main supply (judging by the very heavy traffic) still have a few bees picking up water elsewhere, off the grass, any small pool
If they increased energy bill for your home by a factor of 4.5 would you consider that cruel? If so why are you doing that to your bees?

Offline Billybee

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Re: Four hives poisoned
« Reply #13 on: June 02, 2013, 11:16:39 pm »
Suddenly my problems arent problems.

Sorry about that news!
Can somebody tell me where I can find a foundation tree?