Millions of honeybees killed in South Carolina

It does seem like our world sustainability to produce any decent natural food or clean water has been attacked the most since the turn of the century over very preventable "mistakes" than I can remember in all history.

There's not too many aerial applicators with SC contracts, so finding the actual company responsible and sending that info up the chain to our representatives should be paramount. Or FOIA . The taxpayers should not be footing the bill for replacement bees, the actual company should and be fined accordingly. This pisses me off to me end.

a reply to: DontTreadOnMe

Someone, somewhere had to make the decision, sign off on the paperwork, release the funds, approve the Purchase Order.

Now we can only speculate as to "why" they did what they did and who they consulted on it before doing it.

But this kind of damage, while not as tv friendly as an exxon spill, is just as devastating or even more so!

a reply to: enlightenedservant

All poison is poison.

There are always better solutions. A little anecdote:

Several years ago, we had a tick infestation... a bad one. Some people went so far as to burn their yards off; everybody was trying poisons. Nothing seemed to help. If the tick population got knocked down, it would be back in under a week. It was common to check yourself at night and find a dozen or so.

I bought some chickens. Now we have no ticks, few spiders, and a lot of free eggs. There's no cost because they feed themselves. Tnere's no downside at all.

Bats are well-known for their appetite when it comes to mosquitos, and they pretty much keep to themselves when not feeding. Of course, humans don't like bats because they're not cute and fluffy, but that's another thread...

TheRedneck

a reply to: TheRedneck

Only recently I have noticed bats flying around my place..pretty cool, they are more than welcome to hang around.

a reply to: DontTreadOnMe

That is depressing.
What a waste.
I wonder if those beekeepers
will be able to receive economic
compensation.
Still, it is just another act of Negligence
that seems so prevelant these days.
S&F

a reply to: TheRedneck

Thanks for the chicken/tick anecdote - now if only I could release chickens into our forest and prairie paths so I could once again walk my doggie there. Lyme disease sucks, but farm fresh eggs are delicious!!

I have a bat house in my tree. Skeeter gobblers, to be sure!!

a reply to: dogstar23

Our place here is about 90 acres, but most of that (I'd say 70 acres) is wooded. Of the rest, we actually live on about an acre.

I raise the chicks inside, in a cardboard box with a heat lamp, until they are old enough to stand cold nights. Then I move them outside to a 4'x8' pen I built. The dog gets used to them and they get used to the dog. Once they are full size, I just turn them loose outside the pen. They have a small laying house I built at the edge of the porch and a tall stack of concrete blocks to roost on at night. The dog defends them from any predators that wander through.

Once out, they roam free and have yet to wander outside that one acre yard. Ticks still wander in from the mountain, but they don't get far. Chickens won't roam much if they have a place to roost, a place to lay, plenty to eat, and few predators.

Maybe I need some bat houses...

TheRedneck

originally posted by: JIMC5499
a reply to: enlightenedservant

That research bit is just BS. The head of the EPA, at that time stated that if we can ban DDT we can ban anything.

Wait, you're doubting that DDT causes birth defects?

a reply to: TheRedneck

Umm ok. Not sure what that has to do with my post though. Unless you're saying we should bring back DDT?

Sounds like they hired Dale (Dead Bug) Gribble for the job. He mixes his own pesticides, and usually overdoes it.
/king of a the hill joke


I just hope I don't walk outside next summer with a swam of honeybees around my doors should they decide to release a ton to make up for the loss. Every year it's always something. The worst so far was the stink bugs, glad they didn't show up this year.

a reply to: enlightenedservant

Sorry if I offended you... should I get permission to agree with you next time?

TheRedneck

a reply to: DBCowboy

My vote is careless disregard...just like so many instances over the years.
Even if everything else went right with the Order, the does and all....I still have NO CLUE why they would spray when pollinators are active.

I got the impression the bee hives were a known entity.

a reply to: DontTreadOnMe

Dammit! No!

I am getting sick and tired of hearing "careless" as an excuse for government wrong-doings!

This is huge and people should be held accountable!

a reply to: DontTreadOnMe


Saw something the other day. Dozens of honeybees working a soft drink spill. They are normally picky but wildflowers are scarce these days?

a reply to: DontTreadOnMe

IMO, "careless" of this magnitude would be better described as "reckless disregard for safety." Spraying poison over an area with beneficial commercial operations of known susceptibility and human habitation without notification is a little more than just an "oopsy, my bad."

TheRedneck

Here's a little article, sounds like these guys should have been called and asked for advise first before hiring a renegade contractor with obvious lack of care and professionalism. I still think the contractor company name should be found and brought up to everyone's attention.

www.newscientist.com...

a reply to: DontTreadOnMe This state has people who aren't very intelligent at all. The trash problems along the roads, beaches, streams, high schools, public parking lots is epic. I would like Targets to print in their Red dot plastic bag. Please reuse this bag to pick up litter today! OMG! I have picked up trash and recycled it here for years. I am tired....others need to stop and help out. STOP POLUTION AMERICA we ALL live here!~ That means the insects and animals live here too.

a reply to: DontTreadOnMe

Hang on....

How long would it take to repopulate an area that became devoid of all life?

And how can you depopulate and are of life with there still being enough of a chance for everything to be reproduced save for certain animals?

originally posted by: seeker1963
a reply to: DontTreadOnMe


If an average citizen made this error there would be fines and possible prison. When the government does it, OOPS!

Yep, it'll be just like when the EPA poisoned that entire river.