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Midwest

Ok. maybe this is just my curiosity and I've got an over-active brain. Ok, I just applied Merit and I've been spraying weekly bifenthrin (1.5oz/gal). What does this do to the nectar? Does this kill the bees? I don't want less bees, more bees please!

7/6/2007 12:24:58 AM

addison Il

Merit will kill the bees its hand pollinating time for you.

7/6/2007 1:03:22 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

No. Merit is systemic but it never enters flower parts. This is why it is used on vegetables. Imidacloprid is undetectable in flowers, vegetables & fruit when used as directed.

Now if you spray an insecticide of any kind ONTO the flowers the bees will be dying all over the place. NEVER spray insecticides to ANY plant that is in flower. Bees will die.

Likewise, in the case of our beloved AG's, moisture in the female might cause the fruit to abort.

The French had some of these mysterious bee failures a few years ago. They went after Bayer immediately & no link was ever discovered to substantiate their Merit/Bee death concerns. Now that the US is havinbg the same Bee problems, similar witch hunts are starting here.

I hope we discover the real cause soon.

7/6/2007 10:12:06 AM

Windsor, Ontario, Canada

Wow, 1.5 oz per gallon is way too much. Probably only need to spray the new growth weekly, with resprays every 14 days due to the long residual. I am surprised Tremor let that go without a scolding. LOL.

7/7/2007 11:35:43 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

WOW!!!! I hadn't seen that rate there. YIKES!

What percent Bifenthrin are you using? Not the 7.9% I hope.

7/7/2007 3:19:23 PM

Windsor, Ontario, Canada

Pyrethroids do kill bees however, I would say that could be the problem. However, you should be spraying at night/evening when flowers are closed, so when bees go in the flowers in morning, there should be no pesticides in there.

7/7/2007 5:06:33 PM

President - GPC

The Bees overnight in most of the flowers I have........

7/9/2007 8:55:35 AM

Midwest

Wow! I made a mistake typing. Instead of 1.5oz per 1 gal, I actually am mixing 1.5oz per 2 gal. I believe I am following the directions on the label and I want to do this right. Thanks for finding that JRO and Tremor! I have to look at the percentage on the bottle.
Greg

7/9/2007 1:54:34 PM

Windsor, Ontario, Canada

Thats still a little high. I have joined Tremor with respect to .3-.4 oz/gal and 14 day treatments. Still sprayin new growth once a week though. I still see no signs of problems (knock on wood). I was spraying .5-.8 oz/gal each week and the leaves were beginning to look a little blistered.

7/10/2007 1:27:17 PM

Midwest

The good thing is the leaves are not showing the effects of damage and are still supple even after using this much. If I get you right, you are somewhere between .8oz in 14days. And, you're making less applications (50% less). I think I've read that bifenthrin is effective for 14 days. So, you're really going right by the instructions. Are you getting cuke beetle pressure now? Or, is there a lull in the population now? I am going to make less apps like you are and see how that goes until August.
Thanks
Greg

7/10/2007 1:44:37 PM