Carbaryl is deadly to bees. They can pick it up on their feet and carry it back to the colony. The XLR formulation is the lesser of two evils. It will kill some bees but usually not the colony. Unlike purethroid insecticides which kill bees in the field before they get back home, a field bee can transport carbaryl home before dying. This can result in larval death within the colony. If a colony is inadvertantly sprayed with carbaryl that colony is likely to die as a result. Other alternatives include any of the pyrethroid insecticides labelled or malathion or methoxychlor or a mix of malathion and methoxychlor. Any of these products should be sprayed in the evening after the bees leave the field. This gives the insecticide time to leave the field. You did not mention the crop so I am not sure about specific insecticide recommendations. Ray Nabors ______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________ Subject: toxicity of sevin xlr plus Author: Discussion of Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]> at internet-ext Date: 6/10/96 2:00 PM Hi all: I was wondering if anyone knows whether I can be as bold as the manufacturer suggests when the growers I pollinate for are using carbaryl in the new sevin xlr plus formulation. (They say they must spray these flea beetles now or lose the crop.) The label says that "precautionary measures (they are speaking of beehives) may be discontinued after spray residues have dried." I phoned the canadian agricultural research branch of the chemical's manufacturer and he assured me that as soon as the spray has dried I would have no problems, it would be stuck to the foliage and foraging bees would not take it back to the hive. But he also said that the spray was only toxic to larvae not adults, and so I am having some difficulty believing him, since the Hive and Honeybee gives LD50 (and an extremely small dose) for carbaryl and I thought that these were measured on adults. A prompt response if anyone knows anything would sure be appreciated because I have to move bees out or cover them, and I have already been putting bees into fields that are sprayed, but dried, and I must say with many many misgivings. Thanks, Stan P.s. I know about pollination contracts and spraying, and I have looked at the pollinators homepage, etc., but these are the same people I have steady contracts with and they say they have no choice.