Hello Paul & All,
First let me say I always appreciate your input Paul. However please keep an 
open mind to what I am about to say.

> "This product is toxic to bees exposed to direct treatment.
> Do not apply this product while bees are actively visiting the
> treated area."

Many people can look at a tree in bloom and not see the insects working the 
bloom. A good example was a friend which said his apple trees were losing 
all their leaves and asked for me to take a look. We walked out to his trees 
and most of the leaves were gone. tens of thousands of tent catapillers 
(same color as leaves) were feeding on the leaves.

I asked Don if he could see what was wrong? He said No! Thats why I called 
you!

He was shocked when I pointed out his problem and embarrased.
>
> So although Assail may be applied during bloom, it cannot be
> applied when bees are actively foraging.

The above is a product which needs a label change. All beeks are asking for 
is a few label changes. If Bayer would meet and discuss then the tension 
would ease in my opinion.

I do not know if you keep bees or not Paul but if not let me expalin about 
bees. You can walk into a field of Clover at the height of the summer honey 
flow at times and you will not see a single bee. Kind of like this morning 
after a couple inch rain. So the grower thinks the bees are not actively 
foraging. He starts mixing his posien and an hour later when he starts to 
spray the blooms the insects LOVE the bees are on the bloom. Not being a 
beekeeper himself and with no label police to check his work the grower 
sprays killing bees.


> In the bee kill cases you mentioned, how do we know the grower /
> applicator fully followed the label directions and sprayed the correct
> dosage and sprayed only when bees were not actively visiting the
> treated area?

The sad truth is many growers which do not need bees for pollination do not 
care if bees die. Two things need to happen to protect the bees.

1. ALL spraying needs to be done in the evening after the insects quit 
working the bloom. Orchards need to be kept mowed under the trees right 
before spraying to eliminate the clover etc. the spray will fall on and the 
bees work.
crews report in the daytime and many spray in the daytime. When I worked for 
a grower in Florida we only sprayed in the late evening. Never in the 
daytime. His son was a commercial beekeeper and a beekeeper I worked with in 
later years.

2. NEVER spray trees/plants bees work when in bloom. If you feel you have to 
only spray in late evening.

3. Always tell the beekeeper with hives in the area when a spray is to be 
applied.

Although the above product is a neonicotinoid it has little to do with the 
issue except for what might be the result of the neonicotinoid spray hitting 
the ground and taken up into the tree. Most commercial apple orchards spray 
insecticide around 14-15 times in a season.

bob
bob 

****************************************************
* General Information About BEE-L is available at: *
* http://www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l/default.htm   *
****************************************************