Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: uglyfrozenfish on March 25, 2011, 04:54:15 pm

Title: Bees and Roundup
Post by: uglyfrozenfish on March 25, 2011, 04:54:15 pm

I want to put a few hives on my property to help out with my garden and orchard and I have been wondering lately how worried I should be about the farmer who sprays round up on his crops once or twice during the year.  I live on 6 acres with 80+ acre crop fields (corn/soybean) to the north and east.  I am thinking I should block them in the hive for a day or two following application just to be safe. 

Thanks a bunch y'all are a wonderful resource for new beeks everywhere.

Lee

Title: Re: Bees and Roundup
Post by: Finski on March 25, 2011, 05:32:52 pm

.

All farmers use Roundup and no beekeepers close the hives.

Title: Re: Bees and Roundup
Post by: Hemlock on March 25, 2011, 06:02:20 pm

In all likelihood, your neighbors use roundup too!  As do many of us. 

Title: Re: Bees and Roundup
Post by: Kathyp on March 25, 2011, 06:18:43 pm

i use it.  the things you are using it on don't attract the bees anyway. 

Title: Re: Bees and Roundup
Post by: S.M.N.Bee on March 25, 2011, 06:50:06 pm

Uglyfrozenfish

The spray you want to look out for is the insecticide farmers spray on there soybeans to control aphids. This is usually sprayed in July or August and kills all insects. Bees included.
Talk with the local farmer and they may be willing to let you know when they will be spraying and what chemical they will be spraying. Some farmers however hire a local coop to spray there crops
so they may not be able to tell you an exact time or date of the application. The time depends on when the coop has there equipment is in that farmers area or when it fits into there schedule.

John