swarm-list Mailing List: Re: Swarm on the ground in Livermore - sprayed bees

[yolanda huang (yogreening]

Can we add to the website that ACBA does not respond to sprayed bees?

On Sun, Jun 1, 2025 at 7:47 AM realrambo--- via swarm-list <swarm-list [at] alamedabees.org> wrote:

Totally agree !

Few people are using beekeepers as janitors  for toxic waste ! 

Pesticide are perfectly safe for human used to say a pesticide Rep to my brother in law! To demonstrate it he use to wash himself i. The court yard of the Farm (several hundred acres) well brother in law and sister both died 10 -15 years later of rare cancer and so were countless other , some still do !

The spoke person for Monsanto now Bayer once sauu I d on a French TV. Program that it was perfectly safe , so the host hand him over a glass of his perfectly safe concoction , asking him to drink it  , He stormed out saying I am not crazy ! 

Swarm on the ground are usually a siign of old queen , too . 

Sent from the all new AOL app for iOS

On Sunday, June 1, 2025, 7:31 AM, Elinor Levine via swarm-list <swarm-list [at] alamedabees.org> wrote:

I completely agree that our volunteers should not be cleaning up bee sprayed with pesticides. I often ask the callers if they sprayed anything, but usually they volunteer that in the call. I don't think it's insulting to inquire. We need to know this for the safety of our members. Many swarm collectors will not go out if they know the bees have been sprayed with pesticides and they deserve to know before they make the trip.

In cases where bees are on the ground, I think the hotline receptionists should ask if they were sprayed with anything.

In this case, Mimi is willing to do it but not for free. That’s her choice.

Elinor

On Jun 1, 2025, at 2:56 AM, Gerald Przybylski via swarm-list <swarm-list [at] alamedabees.org> wrote:


I don't believe in sending out any of our volunteers to do a toxic-cleanup following
the spraying of a swarm, or an extraction either.
If anyone mentions spraying I point out that petrochemical insecticides are not good to use around
"our family members," with the hope they take the hint not to use something like RAID, or hornet-spray.

It would seem to me that, upon learning bees were sprayed with a toxic pesticide, it would be justified to just do an about-face and leave.

It doesn't happen very often, fortunately, but this makes the third in the last couple of weeks. One was the bees in
the ally-way at the gated apartments in Hayward.  Another was a business in Pleasanton where the caller said he
was going to spray the bees because his patrons were at risk. (at least that one was a clear case)

The thing is, we (acba, or swarm-list) don't have any policy language for dealing with calls where bees were sprayed.

I don't make a habit of asking whether the bees were sprayed.
Most of the time it would even be an insulting question.  People call ACBA's swarm line to get bees taken are of.

» Perhaps I should add a slide to the Swarm Program.  We could even edit a slide into the latest program.
» I can add language to the swarm guidelines too,  to be wary about sprayed swarms.  - Don't do anything risky. Avoid contamination.
» There could be some fine-print on the swarm web page saying we reserve the right to leave if the bees were sprayed (with anything?).
This is volunteer activity. What do people expect?

Thoughts?

Jerry

On 5/31/25 6:44 PM, Bees & Beeks via swarm-list wrote:

Bees clearly from branch they cut down and laying on lawn.  Only handful of bees flying, majority DEAD on ground.

This WAS a swarm on a branch that has been sprayed.  The homeowners are surprised swarm didn’t go away and now wants someone to come out in heatwave (95 degree heat) to help remove from property.  I can “dispose” of bees and not report them for spraying bees for a fee.

Mimi

Sent from my iPhone

On May 31, 2025, at 6:35 PM, Pamela Weimer via swarm-list <swarm-list [at] alamedabees.org> wrote:

Who can go?  Been there about 6 hours

<IMG_6201.jpg>

Sent from my iPhone

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