I love mosquitoes

Well, that's not exactly true. What would be, is that bees absolutely love me. It seems I am always the one to get eaten alive if there are any mosquitoes around us during the humid summer months. But do you know what I hate more than mosquitoes? Ironically, it's the trucks that come spraying to kill them multiple times a week.

I have been taking strides towards becoming a beekeeping this year. Just yesterday my Langstroth hives were delivered, along with all the beekeeping supplies I need to get started. All with much thanks to my beekeeping resource and friend, Scott Shold. Scott is a local beekeeper who is getting me and a few other people started with beekeeping this year. My situation is a little different than Scott, as they spray insecticides multiple times a week during the summer around my house, where I was planning on keeping the bees.

I have asked Scott, and the jury is still out. But it looks like I am going to have to find another place to put my hives. The Illinois Department of Public Health said a few things about this that caught my attention. Particularly the lethal ingredients sprayed right out front of my house,

The most commonly used products are synthetic pyrethroid insecticides (such as Scourge® and Anvil®), pyrethrins and malathion. All insecticides used for mosquito control in Illinois must be registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDA). You can find fact sheets about some insecticides commonly used to kill mosquitoes on the USEPA web site.

As well as,

During the pesticide registration process, USEPA considers the effect of insecticides on wildlife. If the insecticide is applied according to label directions, wildlife should not be killed or injured with the exception of insects similar in size to mosquitoes. If you have any concerns about this issue after they have sprayed in your area, contact IDA.

So in my excitement of it all, I might need to relocate my plans to another location. We shall soon see, as my bees will be coming in the next few weeks!

If you have any information about honey bees and adult mosquito insecticides, or petitioning the mosquito trucks to leave town, please give me a holla.