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Author Topic: Laws against killing honeybees?  (Read 32386 times)

Offline Robo

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Laws against killing honeybees?
« on: January 31, 2008, 09:22:57 am »
I am getting more and more referrals from exterminators and the people say the exterminator told them it is illegal to kill honeybees.  I have been unable to find any such law,  but thought I would throw it out here to see if anyone else knows of any.   Personally,  I just think the exterminators don't want to deal with them.

So far I just skate around questions about such a law, but just feel incompetent and wish I knew for sure.

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Offline JP

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Re: Laws against killing honeybees?
« Reply #1 on: January 31, 2008, 11:38:56 am »
There is no such law here but there are people who believe its a law, and I let them believe that. I just tell them that the bees and the colony need to be removed and relocated and someone with knowledge and experience can only do that for them. Then, I show them pictures of some that I have done, and I usually have honey with me that they can try. I start talking their heads off about the merits of honeybees and they start asking questions and become interested in bees, and usually end up saying how fascinating an insect the honeybee is and that they just never had a clue, now I have made a convert, and we all win. Thank you very much.

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Offline Jerrymac

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Re: Laws against killing honeybees?
« Reply #2 on: January 31, 2008, 11:43:34 am »
Perhaps it's been said so much about the bees dying off that some have "assumed" there was now a law against killing them.....

Or maybe they don't want to mess with them
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Offline JP

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Re: Laws against killing honeybees?
« Reply #3 on: January 31, 2008, 11:56:56 am »
A lot of people in my neck of the woods are familiar with CCD and want to do their part to ensure the survival of any wild hives they run across. This is a good thing.

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Offline pdmattox

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Re: Laws against killing honeybees?
« Reply #4 on: January 31, 2008, 12:02:32 pm »
Maybe they need to be put on an endagered list...... but then they may not let us play with them anymore????

Offline Robo

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Re: Laws against killing honeybees?
« Reply #5 on: January 31, 2008, 12:57:27 pm »
I agree, and often have the same discussions as JP.   I just struggle with what to say when they explicitly as if there is such a law.
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Offline JP

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Re: Laws against killing honeybees?
« Reply #6 on: January 31, 2008, 01:46:56 pm »
>  I just struggle with what to say when they explicitly as if there is such a law.

You know those types that you can't get a word in, their minds are made up, and they are experts in their own minds, they just want to let you know what they think they know, gotta just let these types talk and get it outta their systems but boy, it sure takes a while sometimes! Oh the humanity! :-D

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Offline Scadsobees

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Re: Laws against killing honeybees?
« Reply #7 on: January 31, 2008, 02:59:33 pm »
Maybe they need to be put on an endagered list...... but then they may not let us play with them anymore????
I think they only do that with originally native species.

I don't really think there is a law, and won't believe it anymore until somebody can show it to me.  If there is a law I think it would apply to a maintained colony, otherwise it would be illegal to burn a hive because of AFB.

The exterminator that calls me just plain won't kill honeybees unless there is an extenuating circumstance, such as that I can't get the bees or they are in an inaccessable place.

I find it rather ironic, really, that so many people will advocate trapping out a hive to save the honeybees when all that is doing is saving a few thousand of individual bees but the hive genetics will be completely lost.  There are lots of good reasons to trap bees out, but CCD and genetics and mite resistance is not one of them.

rick
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Offline Jerrymac

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Re: Laws against killing honeybees?
« Reply #8 on: January 31, 2008, 03:06:55 pm »
I find it rather ironic, really, that so many people will advocate trapping out a hive to save the honeybees when all that is doing is saving a few thousand of individual bees but the hive genetics will be completely lost.  There are lots of good reasons to trap bees out, but CCD and genetics and mite resistance is not one of them.

What? Why would the genetics be lost?
OH!! You said trap not capture, remove, or cut out.
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Offline Understudy

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Re: Laws against killing honeybees?
« Reply #9 on: January 31, 2008, 04:06:34 pm »
This issue was brought up on beesource a few years ago.
http://www.beesource.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-196571.html
As I understand it there is no law against it. At least in Florida. But any exterminator that calls me to do a cut out because he believes there is is not going to hear any different from me.

 8-)

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Brendhan

modified to add:
http://maarec.cas.psu.edu/bkCD/Pollination/Pesticides_Mortality.html

Down near the bottom MAAREC says some states have regulatory laws but doesn't say more than that.

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Offline TwT

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Re: Laws against killing honeybees?
« Reply #10 on: January 31, 2008, 11:23:32 pm »
that's where I get most of my removal calls is from pest control people, they say its to hard and to much responsibility to rid a home or business of honeybee's besides they dont want a bad name because the honey bee gets so much media attention the last 10 years plus had one tell me that leaving the comb behind could be a liability because the damage it can cause when not attended by bee's, it will also draw other pest like ant's, roaches, ect.

Plus it georgia's state insect and a few other state's, here a quote of the info

The Honeybee is not only the state insect of Georgia, but its also the state insect of Kansas, Arkansas, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont and Wisconsin!!  Quite a popular insect!! The honeybee was chosen as our state insect in 1975 because of its contributions to Georgia through honey production and helping with agriculture pollination.
THAT's ME TO THE LEFT JUST 5 MONTHS FROM NOW!!!!!!!!

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Offline Kris^

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Re: Laws against killing honeybees?
« Reply #11 on: February 01, 2008, 12:07:02 pm »
I saw a blurb in the most recent Farm Bureau newsletter that NJ is close to passing (or just passed) a bill that says exterminators must make arrangements to relocate bees instead of killing them, and if they can't be relocated, they must get permission from the state before killing them.

Offline KONASDAD

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Re: Laws against killing honeybees?
« Reply #12 on: February 01, 2008, 12:18:31 pm »
I saw a blurb in the most recent Farm Bureau newsletter that NJ is close to passing (or just passed) a bill that says exterminators must make arrangements to relocate bees instead of killing them, and if they can't be relocated, they must get permission from the state before killing them.


The bill was amended and passed as amended. Exterminators are now exempt in NJ from having to save colonies. They can kill them. I just got that last night at NJBA.
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Offline riverose

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Re: Laws against killing honeybees?
« Reply #13 on: February 02, 2008, 02:35:15 pm »
It would make sense if there were laws in place to protect beekeeper's honeybees from potential...vandals, I'd say. Destruction of property.

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Re: Laws against killing honeybees?
« Reply #14 on: February 02, 2008, 09:11:48 pm »
I believe it's illegal in Michigan.  I don't know of any other place where it is illegal to kill honey bees.  It would make sense to make them TRY to save them, but sometimes it's just not practical.  Bees behind a brick wall are pretty difficult to get out without tearing down the house.
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Offline talkingamoeba

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Re: Laws against killing honeybees?
« Reply #15 on: February 27, 2008, 09:02:37 pm »
It would make sense if there were laws in place to protect beekeeper's honeybees from potential...vandals, I'd say. Destruction of property.

I don't know if each state has this but in PA there have been some recent laws regarding agricultural vandalism,terrorism, theft etc... which should apply to any ag crop including pollinators and honey

Offline Understudy

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Re: Laws against killing honeybees?
« Reply #16 on: February 28, 2008, 02:43:27 pm »
It would make sense if there were laws in place to protect beekeeper's honeybees from potential...vandals, I'd say. Destruction of property.

I don't know if each state has this but in PA there have been some recent laws regarding agricultural vandalism,terrorism, theft etc... which should apply to any ag crop including pollinators and honey
The problem with that is you classify bees as ag and it opens a whole new can of worms. Hobbiest beekeepers may keep bees in an area where keeping ag items is not allowed.

Konasdad posted some great information on the issues NJ is having with that on property taxes alone.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

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Offline Shane1962

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Re: Laws against killing honeybees?
« Reply #17 on: August 21, 2015, 10:02:32 pm »
It is against the law to kill a swarm of honey bees without first trying to get a beekeeper to collect them.
 
Honey bees living in the walls of a building can be killed if it?s a public health issue. Most pest control companies do not want to do this because of the liability to the home and neighboring beekeepers if their bees rob out contaminated honey or if the combs melt and honey and wax run down inside the home owner?s wall. It?s much easier to say it?s illegal than to try to explain to a non-beekeeper what I just wrote to you.

Offline jayj200

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Re: Laws against killing honeybees?
« Reply #18 on: August 22, 2015, 11:46:29 pm »
in Florida I have heard spraying hives by any other than an a licensed exterminator is illegal.
I think I remember our state bee inspector was there and did not object to that statement.

Offline Eric Bosworth

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Re: Laws against killing honeybees?
« Reply #19 on: August 24, 2015, 11:25:56 am »
The problem with that is you classify bees as ag and it opens a whole new can of worms. Hobbiest beekeepers may keep bees in an area where keeping ag items is not allowed.

Konasdad posted some great information on the issues NJ is having with that on property taxes alone.

Sincerely,
Brendhan
I guess I would argue with the logic of not allowing ag someplace. It all boils down to freedom. I would not live in a place with an HOA or some governing body that denies the use of my property for any purpose. If I own my property I should be able to do with it as I please. If ag items are not allowed then technically that means you can't have a garden. Last night I had Adirondack Red potatoes from my garden. They were wonderful. I dug them brought them into the house and washed as my wife cut them up and dropped them into the pot to cook. Can't get much fresher than that. I couldn't live in a place that wouldn't allow that... Then again... There was the case of Wickard v. Filburn... One of the worst SCOTUS decisions of all time.

I would think that a much better approach that prohibiting anything would be education. Educating people about the benefits of bees as well as the result of exterminating them and having a major rodent infestation after the honey stores is a better approach than a prohibition. I think however that Shane1962 might be on to something. Many times people are too frantic about bees living in their house to be rational enough to learn.
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