At 11:03 PM 9/23/96 -0300, you wrote: >Back in June I posted a request for information on the toxicity of the new >formulation of sevin (XT, I believe it is called). The manufacturer claimed >that once it had dried on the plant the bees would not carry it back into >the hive. I thought perhaps fellow listees would be interested in my >observations. > >I moved ten hives into one blueberry field that was sprayed with sevin xt >the day after the spraying. This field was sprayed only on one side of a >more or less central laneway. I moved eight hives into a field that was >almost adjoining and had no spray. I did not have any hives die in either >field, but I did see quite a few dead foragers in front of hives in the >sprayed field and I assume there were many more that I did not see. The >blueberry grower and myself walked through the field in the afternoon two >days after spraying and made this observation: The honeybees seemed to be >avoiding the sprayed side of the field. There were many bees on the >unsprayed side and practically none on the sprayed side. There seemed to me >to have been some difference in the number of bumblebees too, but it was not >obvious as it was in the case of the honeybees and we did not do any >scientific counting. I do not believe that the dearth of bees on the >sprayed side was due to them dying on this side (the number of dead foragers >was not that great). I think that the bees were able to sense the pesticide >and avoid it. > >I was able to use this observation to convince another grower to delay >application until after the bloom. Regards, Stan Sandler > REPLY: I have some experience with SEVIN XLR as I grow pumpkins and squash and have to spray them to control spotted and striped cucumber beetles to prevent bacterial wilt and fruit scaring.. It has been reported that up to 5-7 visits are needed to effectively pollinate a pumpkin so I really have to protect my colonies. For several years I have placed two colonies within 150 to 600 feet of these pumpkins. Spraying with any Sevin Formulation up to bloom is OK as the bees will not be working the field without blossems--WATCH OUT FOR WEED BLOOMS- The SEVIN XLR formulation is a very finely ground formulation with particles in the 1-5 micron range while pollen is in the 50 micron range. This fine grind signifantly reduces the mechanical pickup of the pesticide.. Also this fomulation contains a special sticker than when the application is made with less than a 1 to 10 dilution ie: 1 quart of product to 10 quarts of water in my experience, ( label states 1-39 for washoff resistance) there is a minimal effect on bees from the residual pickup of Sevin HOWEVER, bees foraging in the time of application WILL be killed. Every year I spray SEVIN XLR on blooming pumpkins, right next to my colonies with no bee kill, I spray SEVIN XLR at 1 quart per acre in 10 quarts of water with a mist blower with no bee kill-- IF I SPRAY IN THE EVENING WHEN FEW FORAGERS ARE LEFT IN THE FIELD AND THE SPRAY CAN DRY BEFORE THE MORNING --like paint, once dry there is little effects from rewetting . especially since the bees work the folwere and not the leaves. SEVIN XLR can be used in a bee environment if used with care , following the label and GOOD BEE SENSE. DO NOT USE ANY SEVIN WETTABLE POWDER FORMULATION AROUND BEES AT ANY TIME. This caution applies to any wettable powder insecticide that can be picked up like pollen and brought back to the hive. Dan Veilleux---Columbus ,Ohio Janet Montgomery 104 Fallis Road Columbus, Ohio 43214-3724 Home: (614) 784-8334 FAX: (614) 268-3107 E-mail: [log in to unmask]