Hello Al and All,
Al wrote:
What we suspect is happening is the chemical or a metabolite of it is staying in the soil and coming back in the nectar or pollen of the red clover 2 years later and killing the bees.
Many of the things you describe ARE *calling cards * of both tracheal mites and varroa.
Farmers plant *red clover* for green manure mainly because of the availability of cheap seeds.
Either move five miles from farmers using Admire or get the farmers to switch to seeding a cover crop which the bees do not work.
I see no other solution.
I realize you make part of your honey crop from the clover but you are in a no win situation if you continue to sit bees within five miles of those fields.. Possibly you could get as close as two miles but why take the chance.
In Missouri if you sit bees within two miles of a commercial Apple orchard all year you will end up
with dead bees. Law suits have been filed against the orchards but none have been won.
I see two obvious types of pesticide kills although there are others:
1. the bees do not return to the hive and dwindling takes place.
2. The bees return to the hive die and are tossed out the entrance by the bees.
Hope I have helped Al and I wish you the best in solving a very serious problem with your bees.
Sincerely,
Bob Harrison