Precautions for the Beekeeper 



• Identify your colonies. Post 

 your name, address, and telephone 

 number in a conspicuous place in 

 the apiary. In some States, this is re- 

 quired. Let the farmers in the area 

 know where the bees are located 

 so they will not be unknowingly 

 poisoned. 



• If practicable, do not place col- 

 onies near fields that are routinely 

 treated with pesticides. 



• Know the pesticides commonly 

 used in your area. 



• Be prepared to remove the 

 bees from the area if you are 

 notified that a hazardous material is 

 likely to be applied. Pesticides are 

 grouped according to their relative 

 hazards to bees in the next section. 



• You can protect small numbers 

 of colonies from pesticides by 

 covering them with wet burlap for a 

 day or more. Cover colonies at 

 night when all the bees are in the 

 hives, and keep the burlap wet 

 throughout the time of confine- 

 ment. This is not practical where 

 repeated applications of pesticides 

 are made or where large numbers 

 of colonies are involved. 



• If the colonies are likely to be 

 repeatedly exposed to hazardous 

 pesticides listed in group 1, move 

 the colonies to another site. 



• If the colonies must be moved, 

 move them at night when all the 

 bees are in the hive. 



• Learn as much as you can 

 about the value of pollinating in- 

 sects to crops as well as to wild- 

 flowers, ornamentals, and forests. 

 Pass this information along to the 

 farmers and others in your area. In 

 this way, they learn about the value 

 of bees as pollinators and will be 

 encouraged to protect your bees. 



Use of Pesticides 



Pesticide use is governed by a 

 Federal law administered by the En- 

 vironmental Protection Agency 

 (EPA). This law requires manufac- 

 turers to register pesticides, and 

 makes it illegal for people to use 

 them except in accordance with the 

 instructions on the label. 



Follow label instructions carefully. 

 You may, if you wish, use less of a 

 pesticide than the amount per- 

 mitted. Apply pesticides uniformly 

 and be sure they come in contact 

 ONLY with plants or areas you in- 

 tend to treat. 



Registrations of pesticides are 

 under constant review by EPA. As 

 new information is developed and 

 evaluated, registrations may be 

 changed or withdrawn. For the 

 latest information on pesticides and 

 how to use them, consult the Coop- 

 erative Extension Service or Agricul- 

 tural Experiment Station in your 

 State. 



