Bees and Pesticides
Improper use of pesticides on plants can cause serious damage to colonies of both honey bees and bumble bees. If you are a gardener, always follow the instructions on the bottle carefully, and in particular:
- Never spray open blooms.
- Always spray early in the morning or late at night, when few pollinating insects are around.
If you are a farmer and intend to use a pesticide that is described as ‘harmful’, ’dangerous’, ‘extremely dangerous’ or ‘high risk’ to bees, you should contact our Spray Liaison Officer 48 hours in advance and tell him what you intend to spray, where and when. This will allow beekeepers to take the necessary precautions. You should also tell beekeepers if you change your plans.
Contact details for our Spray Liaison Officer are avaiable on the Contacts page.