My Own Private Pesticide Protest

Honey bees and other pollinators are all in danger from the pesticides that are currently being sprayed to kill the mosquito in the panic over zika. Pesticide operators apply the poison without discretion, often not paying attention to the instructions for its application.

In addition, they spray indiscriminately in the daytime when all of the pollinators are flying, despite the fact that pollinator organizations have spoken out about the need to spray after dark. After all, they would have to pay their workers overtime to do so. And the definition of after dark in the summer is typically after 9 PM - can you imagine them actually following that directive? Does the photo below look safe to you?

Please try alternative methods.

• Use bug repellant on your skin. If you don't want Deet (I don't), you can purchase bug repellant without Deet. 
• There are plants that deter mosquitoes if you plant them in your yard. I have a large rosemary bush by my front steps and there are never mosquitoes there.
• Read up on things to do such as emptying standing water in your yard, using biological mosquito dunks (at the big box hardware stores), etc. Here's an article by Walter Reeves, a well-known Atlanta gardener, about what to do instead of spray.
• Time's article on mosquito proofing your yard

I have my own private pesticide protest. I walk my dog two to three miles a day through our Virginia Highlands neighborhood. At least ten beekeepers live in my area within a couple of blocks of me. Every time I see one of the signs indicating that mosquito spray has been used in the yard, I pull the sign out of the ground and lay it on its side on the grass so people won't see it as they go by. On Mondays (which is trash collection day), I put the signs in the curbside garbage containers.

Discouraging to see mosquito treatment starting

I know everyone is scared of Zika and/or inconvenienced, especially in the south, by the prevalence of mosquitoes. However, there are alternatives to spraying. I posted this on my local NextDoor email site:

I'm starting to see mosquito treatment signs in people's yards. As a beekeeper, I'd like to urge any of you who are considering treating for mosquitoes to consider several things:

1. The bees (honey bees) and other pollinators are in danger. If you must treat, please choose a provider who follows the rules for pesticide use on the container and who will TREAT AFTER DARK. The bees and other pollinators are flying during daylight and WILL be killed by your mosquito treatment. Spraying after dark gives the bees half a chance that the poison will be all dried up by morning and not kill them. And dark is defined as DARK - not dusk.

2. Try alternate methods before you choose treatment - in your own yard pour out any standing water in plant saucers, in containers of any kind. Put sprigs of rosemary on your barbecue coals (repels mosquitoes). Put mosquito repellent on yourself and your family rather than poison the plants in your yard for the bees.

3. Please think of the bees and our environment before you choose to spray.

4. There are good articles all over the Internet for alternative ways to deal with mosquitoes, such as this one.

One man wrote in response to my post on Next Door that he leaves a little standing water in his yard and floats in the standing water a product sold at the big box stores like Home Depot and Lowes called Mosquito Dunks. I looked for research on them and found this which says they are not dangerous to bees.

In general, the pesticide industry needs a wake-up call about the harm to pollinators dealt by all the mosquito spraying. Not only are the pesticides used inappropriately (not according to the instructions on the package), but also trucks carrying the chemicals used in lawns and gardens can be quite careless. My friend Julia was in her car the other day behind a pesticide truck that was totally leaking pesticide all over the road.





She took a video from her car (you can hear NPR in the background). She sent the video to the Pollinator Stewardship Council whose spokesperson, Michele Colopy, was a speaker at our recent GBA meeting in February. Michele helped Julia learn how to report to EPA, the GA department of agriculture, etc.

It's important that we take action as spillage and improper use of pesticides is harmful to our bee population.

POST SCRIPT: Julia went to court. The driver plead guilty. He fixed his truck already and he was fined $1000. Yay for Julia for standing up for the bees (and all of our health).