BEE-L Archives

Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

BEE-L@COMMUNITY.LSOFT.COM

Options: Use Monospaced Font
Show Text Part by Default
Show All Mail Headers

Message: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Topic: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Author: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]

Print Reply
Subject:
From:
Bob Harrison <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Tue, 13 May 2008 09:41:03 -0400
Content-Type:
text/plain
Parts/Attachments:
text/plain (70 lines)
Hello All,
Yesterday I spoke with a close friend which runs a large pest control 
outfit. Quite an eye
opener as to the way pesticides reach market. We discussed termite 
control. He said LD50 is the only concern and in the case of fipernil 
(spelling?) the registration test plot is around 10 years old and the 
termite control is still 100%. The registration is based on Japan which 
has a test plot which still is providing 100% termite control.

He said the product the industry used after chloradane ( chloradane test 
plot still 100% TERMITE KILL AFTER 48 YEARS i THINK HE SAID)  was dropped 
as the product only provided a barrier and repellent effect. he told me 
the small drill size area needed for termites to get in but control was 
better with a pesticide which was carried back to the nest. yes he said 
breaking down immune systems was a method of kill. Especially with a sub 
lethal dose.

he also said that because fipernil works so good little interest has been 
shown by pest control outfits for the use of the neonicotinoids for 
termite control.  He was not sure why the neonicotinoids were chosen over 
other chemicals for use in treated lumber.

I spoke this morning with a large farmer/ seed seller. he said that he has 
been planting year after year roundup ready soybeans but because with 
roundup the weeds ( bee forage) comes up each spring. farmers used to be 
content to run a disc and no till but with the price of fuel many are 
burning those weeds ( bee plants ) off with another herbicide in fall. He 
said he still uses a disc as he feels all those chemicals can not be a 
good thing. Duh!

As I was working bees yesterday I looked at a corn field (waiting to be 
planted in corn for the forth year in a row) and the ground is dead. Not a 
weed or an earthworm. The large farmer said that was because the herbicide 
used for corn left a buildup in the soil. So now we have got a buildup of 
herbacide & imidacloprid when corn is planted year after year in the same 
field. He laughed and said some farmers think the buildup might be enough 
to skip a year ever once in awhile when planting corn year after year in 
the same field.

The seed seller said the seed sellers do not tell the farmers planting the 
same crop year after year will leave a buildup but at times say that 
disease and insect problems could occur with such a plan

quote David Hackenberg:
"it seems beekeepers keeping bees in areas of crop production are seeing 
the most problems with their bees"

A true statement without a doubt! 

When I started in beekeeping almost fifty years ago beekeepers sought out 
fields of corn where farmers controlled weeds ( honey plants such as blue 
vine) by pulling cultivators through the fields until the corn was taller 
than the weeds. I made huge crops next to these farmers but those days are 
gone now.

History will tell us if the widespread use of big ag by these chemicals 
was a smart move but most commercial beeks have allready seen the hand 
writing on the wall for beekeeping in those areas. 

I recommend to the public as I do and get a water purifier for your 
drinking water. All these chems will eventually end up in our water supply 
in my opinion.

bob

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

ATOM RSS1 RSS2