In a message dated 6/19/99 6:32:28 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] (Scott Moser) writes:


>       I have a question for the list about the use of pesticides in the
>  garden.  My tomato plants are beginning to show signs of being eaten by
>  tomato worms.  I was told Rotenone is safe to use on plants around bees,
and
>  was wondering if this is true.  I was also wondering if the bacteria dust
>  called Dipel is even safer to use since it targets worms like the tomato
>  worm and cabbage worms.  Which would be safest and most effective.  Any
info
>  would be great.  Thanks.

    You are to be commended. Many gardeners never give bees a thought. I can
show you numerous gardens around here that have butter beans, squash,
cucumbers and other blooming plants covered with Sevin dust. This not only
kills bees, but it is illegal.

    Understanding the law is quite instructive. The label directions give the
law for the particular pesticide. This is true for all pesticides.
Insecticides are the ones of concern to us here. All insecticides that are
toxic to bees have specific directions to protect the bees that come to any
blossoms in the treatment area. Look for these directions under the title:
Environmental Hazards. The bees are considered an environmental resource, and
pesticide applicators must protect them.

    So first we need to determine if the law applies. Are bees visiting the
tomato blossoms?  If there are no blossoms yet, no bees will be there, and,
as long as you don't contaminate other blossoms on other vegetables, you need
not be concerned with bees. They will not be exposed, if they are not there.
After blossoms form, are bees coming to them?  Tomatoes are not highly
attractive to bees. They often are entirely wind and motion pollinated (of
course they yield better, if they are bee pollinated). You need to make some
observations to see if bees are coming. If no bees are visiting, the label
law does not apply and you can use the material.

    If bees are coming to blossoms within the spray area, then the
bee-protection directions will apply. If there are no bee protection
directions on the material, then you can be assured that it is not hazardous
to bees, and you can go ahead and use it, even if bees are coming.

    There are two types of bee directions. One explains that the material is
toxic to bees by direct contact. This is a material that works fast, but it
does not have a residual effect. To use this material without hazard to bees,
simply wait until late in the day, when no bees are coming to the flowers,
and spray then. If bees are visiting, and the pesticide is applied, the adult
field force of the hive can be killed off. Often with contact poisons, the
bees never make it back to the hives. The hive has lost the adult portion of
the population that is responsible for feeding it, and the hives begin a
desperate race for survival, as they use up their feed resources to try to
produce more field force before the nectar season is over. Hives that are
badly damaged by non-residual, contact poisons don't usually die at once, but
often die of starvation the following winter.

    The second type of bee direction label explains that the material is
toxic to bees by direct contact and by residue. If you use this material
while bees are not visiting the blossoms, there will still be residues the
next day that can kill the bees. Most powered or dust forms of insecticides
are extremely residual, and they become part of the pollen loads that bees
carry back to the hive. So not only are adult bees killed, but young bees and
brood can be fed this poisoned pollen and also die. Many times these residual
poisons kill hives outright.

    The bee directions are extremely important for the protection of our
pollinators. They are frequently ignored, but the applicator is responsibile
and action is being taken more and more often, as the pollination crisis
raises consciousness. One applicator on a farm crops paid a $1500 fine here
in South Carolina recently, when he applied insecticide while bees were
visiting a blooming crop (and did several thousand dollars worth of damage to
my bees).

    It has become a shibboleth among extension agents: "Read and follow label
directions." Oftentimes its just a way to protect their butts, because they
say it when they have just finished giving pesticide applicators a way to
AVOID following the directions ("Call your local beekeeper and make HIM
protect the bees.")