Author Topic: Killed a lot of my bees (Read 5709 times)

Bigfoot · « **on:** April 24, 2011, 11:22:52 am »

Had a farmer spraying his fields yesterday behind my house, the wind was coming off the field toward my house at 20 to 30 mph, we were outside with my grand-kids when he started spraying with his tractor. The smell was so strong it was sickening, you could see the vapor coming across the yard, I ran to get a wind block for my bees because I was concerned for them, I noticed they were coming out of the hive like crazy. I went to remove the windbreak from the hive this morning just to find a pile of dead bees on the ground, and I mean a lot it has to be a two to three hundred bees, there are bees at the entrance of the hive that seem to be fine and there is a lot of bees just walking around on the ground. I heard there's a place in Maryland where I can have the bees tested. Dose anyone know the address. Oh one other thing when he started spraying and you could smell the chemical my skin started to itch really bad. I don't know what he was using but there's no way it's good for the environment.

Shanevrr · « **Reply #1 on:** April 24, 2011, 11:27:39 am »

sorry to here that, sounds like he owes you some bees :evil:

Kathyp · « **Reply #2 on:** April 24, 2011, 11:30:03 am »

farmers need to spray. however, it is a foolish and wasteful farmer who sprays on a windy day. not only is he wasting his spray, but if he damages others stuff with over spray, he can be liable if he's not paid attention to the weather.

here is what i would do. wait until i calm down. go talk to the farmer. explain to him that you keep bees and many were killed when he sprayed...not to mention the family exposure from the wind blow spray. do it GENTLY. ask him if he'd be willing to take your phone number and give you a call before he sprays next time.

be nice. smile and be sweet. don't mention the environment.

farmers are pretty tired of getting crap from people who move to the county and then pitch a bit** at all they do. remember that it is how they make a living. it's not backyard gardening.

Michael Bush · « **Reply #3 on:** April 24, 2011, 11:37:16 am »

I'd be worried about the grandkids... but it's always terrible to lose bees to pesticides. I don't know if Beltsville, does pesticide testing. They test for diseases. But here's the link:
http://www.ars.usda.gov/Services/docs.htm?docid=7473

FRAMEshift · « **Reply #4 on:** April 24, 2011, 12:53:18 pm »

Quote from: kathyp on April 24, 2011, 11:30:03 am

farmers are pretty tired of getting crap from people who move to the county and then pitch a bit** at all they do. remember that it is how they make a living. it's not backyard gardening.

I don't think anyone moving to the country (or anyone who already lives there) has signed on to be gassed by pesticides. It doesn't matter what the farmer "needs" to do. He can do what he wants so long as it's legal and he does it on his own land. His property rights end at your property line.

Unlike bees which are natural creatures under the law (in most places) and make their own decisions about where to fly, pesticides are under the control of the farmer and he is responsible for where they go.

Kathyp · « **Reply #5 on:** April 24, 2011, 01:10:07 pm »

i believe i made that point. my suggestion on how to handle this was intended to point out that if someone tromps over to the farmer and is angry about what he's doing, they are not going to get far. farmers already feel that they have an adversarial relationship with newcomers and no matter what they have done wrong, they are not going to respond to attack.

GWDawg1 · « **Reply #6 on:** April 24, 2011, 01:18:27 pm »

I was told last week by someone who definitely knows, his company has paid for bees, that if you can prove that a farmer/grower/landowner sprayed and that chemical killed your bees, he is liable, regardless of whose property the bees are on. Not sure where you can get bees tested for chemical.

I would talk to the farmer first and see if you could ascertain what he was spraying. If you say it was strong smell, could be 2-4-D.

Kathyp · « **Reply #7 on:** April 24, 2011, 01:22:27 pm »

i'm sure the liability depends on where you live. one other thing....it's a good idea to talk to those around you and let them know you keep bees. if you live next to farm land, you know there will be some insecticides used. most farmers are bee friendly and will be very willing to let you know when they are going to spray. they often bring bees in to pollinate crops, so they are aware of the damage that sprays can do. same thing if you live in a county that sprays. most have some program to contact beekeepers before spraying.

buzzbee · « **Reply #8 on:** April 24, 2011, 07:27:43 pm »

If your bees are required to be registered and aren't for what ever reason,I would be cautious on how you approach the bee kill.
I too would be more concerned for the family members being effected.
is it possible it was a liquid fertilizer?

AllenF · « **Reply #9 on:** April 24, 2011, 07:30:34 pm »

Find out what the farmer was spraying.

Bigfoot · « **Reply #10 on:** April 24, 2011, 08:14:04 pm »

Quote from: buzzbee on April 24, 2011, 07:27:43 pm

If your bees are required to be registered and aren't for what ever reason,I would be cautious on how you approach the bee kill.
I too would be more concerned for the family members being effected.
is it possible it was a liquid fertilizer?

Well my bees aren't registered and I don't know who to call to find out if they need to be. As far as what he was spraying I don't know, all I know is it smelled really strong and there's nothing growing in the field, it's just dirt nothing green.

Shanevrr · « **Reply #11 on:** April 24, 2011, 09:19:07 pm »

it has to be liquid fertilizer then

fish_stix · « **Reply #12 on:** April 24, 2011, 09:40:29 pm »

Why on earth would he spray pesticides on dirt? Fertilizer, maybe; pre-emergent weed control, maybe. GO TALK TO THE FARMER! You got the same answers on the other forum. :roll:

buzzbee · « **Reply #13 on:** April 24, 2011, 09:49:36 pm »

I would guess most likely a pre emergent herbicide,but yeah,check with the farmer. If someone does get sick,it would be a good thing to know from what.
Urea or something to that effect would less likely be harmful than an herbicide in a large quantity.
But as kathyP said,try being non confrontational first,it will be more likely to get the answers you need.
I did a little checking and can't find the answer to mandatory Apiary registration in NC. However the Agriculture dept has a form you can fill out that requires aerial sprayers to notify registered apiaries in a half mile area beforehand when spraying chemicals harmful to bees. Not sure how well it is enforced,but it may give you ground to stand on for reimbursement with a large bee kill from aerial applications of harmful chemicals.
www.ncagr.gov/plantindustry/documents/2011ApiaryRegistrationForm.pdf

T-Bone 369 · « **Reply #14 on:** April 25, 2011, 01:05:22 am »

The description of the OP leads me to think this was anhydrous ammonia. Smells horrible, would be applied to bare fields and forms a vapor cloud when airborne. Typically it is not surface applied but incorporated into the soil with an applicator bar. Usually there is a large white nurse tank being hauled behind applicator in a four wheeled cars (looks like a large propane tank). Even under the best conditions you get some smell during application and frequently you see some white vapor when the applicator bar is raised to make your turns. You can also get some vapor if you have a leak in the system - it is applied as a liquid and becomes a vapor when released. Just a very small amount in the air can be enough to drive you out of the area from the ammonia smell. Anhydrous does pose an inhalation risk but the concentration has to be pretty high but the smell is very strong at low concentrations. It also is a contact risk if you are exposed directly to it (as in a leak on the tank and it sprays directly onto your skin). As to it's effect on bees, I have never observed any die-off when they apply here (which is done prior to corn planting so directly behind both of my outyards every other year). That does not mean that it can not happen but have not observed it and have had some pretty nasty doses blow across the hives. Does make them pretty agitated. Sorry for your loss.

gardeningfireman · « **Reply #15 on:** April 25, 2011, 10:15:31 am »

Sounds to me like he didn't follow the label requirements, with spraying on a windy day. If that is the case, he is liable for any damages and expenses incurred as a result. Find out what he sprayed first, and leave it at that for the moment. Then read the label requirements (online) and if he violated them, print them and show them to him. Explain to him about your exposure, and the loss of the bees and ask him how HE feels it should be handled. Then, if you are satisfied, you may have a new ally. If you are not satisfied with his response, call your lawyer!

rail · « **Reply #16 on:** April 25, 2011, 10:32:36 am »

Quote from: wltwine on April 24, 2011, 08:14:04 pm

Quote from: buzzbee on April 24, 2011, 07:27:43 pm
If your bees are required to be registered and aren't for what ever reason,I would be cautious on how you approach the bee kill.
I too would be more concerned for the family members being effected.
is it possible it was a liquid fertilizer?

Well my bees aren't registered and I don't know who to call to find out if they need to be. As far as what he was spraying I don't know, all I know is it smelled really strong and there's nothing growing in the field, it's just dirt nothing green.

When I went to pick up supplies from a local bee supply, the owner recommended registering (not a requirement) my bee's with the state of NC. If the bee's were killed from someone spraying the state would pay for the incident!

Charles

VolunteerK9 · « **Reply #17 on:** April 25, 2011, 12:16:28 pm »

Quote from: Shanevrr on April 24, 2011, 09:19:07 pm

it has to be liquid fertilizer then

Im betting on some kind of pre emerge.

hankdog1 · « **Reply #18 on:** April 25, 2011, 04:40:28 pm »

Not being mean here guys but you catch more flies with honey then you do vinegar. Who knows a good sit down talk and a jar of honey may help to lower tentions. Most farmers are reasonable if they truly are farmers. Lawyers should be a last resort and only when damages get up there cause sometimes it's worth shelling out a few hundred bucks then making a lifetime enemy out of a neighbor. Remember he's not going anywhere and your not eigther so go talk and be open to hearing his side you guys maybe able to reach a common ground on the issue.

Scadsobees · « **Reply #19 on:** April 25, 2011, 05:24:01 pm »

And if you have a pile of a few hundred bees...whereas that is a lot, that isn't that much to a spring booming hive, a hive can probably lose that many during the boom times just from normal old age/overwork. If there is a larger effect on the hive, you'll probably find out within a week or so.