Bees in danger

Press, 30 December 1976, Page 2

Bees in danger

Up to 20 per cent of commercial honey bees in Canterbury and North Otago could be killed if farmers continue to use a particularly potent aphidcontrol chemical.

A farm advisory' officer of the Ministry of Agriculture at Christchurch

(Mr R. J. Riddell) said yesterday that some Canterbury and North Otago fanners were known to be using the wrong chemical to control blue-green aphids in luoeme and white clover seed crops. These farmers were using demeton-s-methyl

(usually under the brand name of Metasystox), which because of its potency also killed bees.

Farmers should instead spray with bromophos, dichlorvos, or trichlorophon. Spraying should be done only in the evening

when no bees were about. Mr Riddell said that Metasystox, when sprayed in the evening, was so potent that it was still present on flowers the next day and could kill any bees that came in contact with it.

The alternative chemicals dispersed by morning and were, therefore, no threat. Mr Riddell said that farmers were using the wrong chemical particularly in South Canterbury and North Otago. The department had no knowledge of its being used to a great extent in North Canterbury’. If more farmers were to use Metasystox, up to 20 per cent of commercial honey bees could be killed, he said.