18 thoughts on “Wordless Wednesday: Heartbreaking Results of Pesticide For Beekeepers”

1. Vickie at

   I am so sorry. Being a fledgling beekeeper,I know exactly how you feel! Hopefully the bees can recover, but I would worry about the honey/beeswax from this hive as it now may be contaminated, if you are organic. Good luck in the future. You might try to find out who sprayed and asked that they inform you in the future before they plan to spray – that way you could put a screen on their door so they can’t get out for that one day.

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   1. Texas Homesteader Post author at

      The hive seems to be recovering Vickie. (YEA!) The problem out in these parts is that many of the areas around us are not maintained by the owner, but leased out as cattle pastures & such. And with a 3-mile radius it could be an uphill climb to get every owner to speak with every leasee each and every year (they are often annual leases). Of course our neighbors and the surrounding areas are in the loop about our bees, but I think the best we can do is keep our own property as healthy as we can for the bees & hope for the best. I really wish there were a better way of dealing with specific pests! ~TxH~

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2. Leanna at

   I was really sad to read about your dead bees. Congratulations on having bee hives, bees need our help. I am glad the hive survived. This is a very important message, thank you for sharing it.

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   1. Texas Homesteader Post author at

      It’s an important message too Leanna. If people would just stop & think of alternatives I’m sure everyone would be the better for it. ~TxH~

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3. Laurinda Pudlo at

   {{HUGS}}

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   1. Texas Homesteader Post author at

      🙂 ~TxH~

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4. tonia conner at

   This is terrible, but you did not loose all of the bees did you? and how long will it take to replace, will they do this themselves or do you have to purchase them?

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   1. Texas Homesteader Post author at

      We’ve been keeping a close eye on them Tonia. The first day there were piles of 100’s of bees under one of the hives. We removed them and the second day there were only about 25, the third day one or two and none since then. RancherMan’s gone into the hive and it’s recovering so we hope the worst is behind us. If the pesticide wiped out the entire hive we’d have to start over, probably buying a new queen & nuc. Beekeeping is lots of fun, but it’s NOT an inexpensive thing! So I’m very pleased that the bees are recovering. The other hive doesn’t really appear to have been affected (thank goodness!) ~TxH~

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5. Connie at

   Oh, this is so sad, my heart goes out to you. What can you do about something like this, to prevent it from happening again?

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   1. Texas Homesteader Post author at

      A bee will harvest in up to a 3-mile radius, Connie. I don’t believe any of our neighbors sprayed but 3 miles is a long way. Someone within that radius apparently sprayed toxic pesticides! The good news is the hive is rebounding. Yea! ~TxH~

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6. Patti at

   So very sorry Tammy! This just breaks my heart!! My home backs up to a school and they sprayed with round-up without contacting us first as required. I let my Griffin ( Old English Sheepdog) out and a few hours later he was in serious trouble. I rushed him to the vet with severe burns on his paws and legs. They did blood work and he was toxic. The treatment he endured caused a severe yeast infection over his entire body as he was allergic to the protocol but we had to go through this in order to save him. $3500 dollars later and he’s 80% back. I don’t want to get on my soap-box but there is other ways of dealing with pests and weeds. You’d think we would have learned from the over use of antibiotics. Time is ticking…………

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   1. Texas Homesteader Post author at

      OMGosh Patti I’m so sorry for your little guy! There needs to be a wake-up call – WAKE UP, PEOPLE!! ~TxH~

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7. Miss B at

   This is heartbreaking and sickening. I know you have loved keeping bees and have been trying to make a nice home for them. I’m so sorry that this happened to you.

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   1. Texas Homesteader Post author at

      Thank you Miss B. The hive is currently trying to rebound so we’re hopeful the worst is behind us… IF no one else sprays in the coming days! If pesticides MUST be sprayed, early in the morning or very late afternoon when the bees are typically back at the hive is the best time. Fingers crossed they suffer no more losses. ~TxH~

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8. Cynthia D at

   So sorry you lost all your bees. If you replace your bees and you can get your neighbors to spray late in the day when the bees will be less active it would keep your loses down. Also it would be nice if they let you know in advance they were planning to spray. The big thing is your neighbors have to be cooperative.

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   1. Texas Homesteader Post author at

      Exactly Cynthia, cooperation is key. We’re not (so far) having to replace the hive, they appear to be trying to rebound. Fingers crossed! ~TxH~

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9. ColleenB.~Texas at

   I know how heartbreaking it must be. All the hard work and bees gone in seconds from someone spraying.
   Millions of bees have been killed by the Zika Spray. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2016/09/02/millions-honeybees-killed-sc-following-aerial-zika-spray/89766710/
   County spraying the ditches for the Zika Virus doesn’t help. Maybe putting up No Spraying at end of your driveway or contacting your County Supervisor may help so that they don’t spray anywhere close to your residence.

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   1. Texas Homesteader Post author at

      We still have no idea where the pesticides came from, Colleen. A bee will forage up to 3 miles away in all directions so there’s lots of area there. Fingers crossed that there are no more losses. ~TxH~

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