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Post by tejay on Jun 27, 2008 10:00:09 GMT -7
I just received a call from the Landowner, he needs to spray for an Aphid infestation....We live on a tree farm....The guys will be here in about five days.
They will be spraying Lorespan (sp?). The spray guy said there is about a 24 hour kill time....HELP!....
Can the Bees be locked up for 24 hours?
I know to cover the hives with wet sheets or burlap, just have to figure out how to get water to them inside. We have inside hivetop feeders.
TeJay
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Post by Sowers on Jun 27, 2008 12:11:16 GMT -7
How are they spraying the field?
If they use an airplane you need to be at a greater distance then if they ground spray. An airplanes draft sucks the spray along with it. Wind causes drift in both methods.
How close to the trees are your bees? It is hard to get away from tree farms in the valley.
Is the ground in the spray area bare? Your bees may not be going into the tree spray area. I would think any bee in the Willamette valley is visiting wild blackberry at this time.
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Post by tejay on Jun 27, 2008 13:49:06 GMT -7
Talked to landowner again, he said the spraying will be done by a crew with backpack sprayers.
The hives are in a small clearing in the Christmas trees (these trees are a bit overgrown, not to be harvested so that is why we put the hives there) There is a bare area about 50 feet long that seems to be the Bees exit and entrance to the hives.
I looked up Lorsban (proper spelling) it seems it is highly toxic to pollinators, and has a life of 3 1/2 to 5 days long.
Been thinking we can tent the hives with wet sheets (and rewet as needed), that way they can cluster outside the hive to stay cool and get to water.
Would hate to have to move the hives for a few days..Hive 1 has two deeps and one honey super, Hive 2 has just two deeps. Both are on screened bottom boards and the tops are telescoping types.
We do have one migratoring type lid and could easily make another for ventilation.
When the Landowner talked me into keeping bees for his apple trees he said he MAY have to spray this year and that his Spray guy said the sprays would only be killer for a few hours....Drats!
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Post by bugleman on Jun 28, 2008 9:53:50 GMT -7
Just move 'em. It would be easier and safer plus they would stay on the flow. I made up some sheets of plywood to help split my hives. It takes 2 cut to the size of the hive body. Let's call them temp. lids. In the evening, just b4 they quite flying put one temp lid on the ground and have the other temp lid ready. Quickly drop one deep plus western on the the temp lid then lightly smoke the exposed bees on the bottom hive body and set the temp lid on it. Wait till all the bees are in entrance cover it and then strap and move.
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Post by tejay on Jun 29, 2008 11:10:17 GMT -7
We are moving the hives tonight.
The landowner came up with a brilliant idea! Move the hives to his old family homestead a few miles from here.
Plenty of blackberries!
We will be going up there in a bit to scope out the area and see about a water source (if any)
We can leave the hives up there for a couple of weeks.
My life will be so empty without the bees to look at...several times a day...~lol~...
Thanks for the help!
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