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does systemic kill bees #752871

Asked May 29, 2021, 3:48 PM EDT

I just bought BioAdvanced Rose and Flower Care which is listed as killing aphids, lace bugs, leaf beetles, leaf miners and other listed insects. I have been an organic gardener so am unfamiliar with chemicals. Will this hurt bees or any other beneficial insects?

Wasco County Oregon

Expert Response

Thanks for your concern for the bees and other beneficial insects!

First thing to do is to open the label that is affixed to the container. It will be sealed down, but after you break the seal, you will see a document that will look something like this:
For the granular formulation: https://www.bioadvanced.com/sites/default/files/2019-03/701116%20AllnOne%20Rose%20%26%20Flower%20Care%20GRAN%20I%204lb%203-1-1974964bf5d2463076dc4f014972c88c31ce69d72cecae4cefa50c34f4d2915b4a.pdf

For the concentrate formulation: https://www.bioadvanced.com/sites/default/files/2020-08/701260%20AllinOne%20Rose%20%26%20Flower%20Care%20CON%2032oz%208_3_20_0.pdf

The pesticide label is a document approved by the Environmental Protection Agency and the specific uses of the product are evaluated for their health to the person applying the product, to people eating food that has been treated with the product and environmental side-effects of using the product. On this latter point, there will be a notification of acute toxicity (i.e., the likelihood that a short term exposure to the product will kill a bee) to honey bees under the Environmental Hazards section of the label.  Note, most labels only have acute toxicity to honey bees listed, not toxicity to other beneficial insects. Also, the label you have may be different from the one linked above, as specific states can put additional restrictions on pesticide labels.

When I review the generic federal pesticide label, for the granular formulated version of the product above there isn’t a warning for bees under Environmental Hazards, but rather, a warning for aquatic invertebrates.  This is because the granular formulation isn't applied to the flowers, where bees are most likely to contact it, but rather to the soil. In the soil, however, there is a risk that it may impact aquatic invertebrates if, as the label states, the pesticide is applied in a manner that "enters or runs into storm drains, drainage ditches, gutters or surface waters". To prevent the granules from contacting the flowers or leaves, it also recommends: "do not get on foliage when foliage is wet".

The second label, the concentrate formulation, has specific restrictions around using the product for bee safety. The label states, under Environmental Hazards, that:  "This product is highly toxic to bees exposed to direct treatment or residues on blooming plants or weeds. Do not apply this product or allow it to drift/contact blooming plants if bees are foraging in the treatment area". This means that the product should not be applied to a plant, either the plant you are trying to treat or surrounding bloom weeds, when there are flowers. The treatment, however, will be far less risky to bees when applied before the plant starts blooming or after all the petals drop. 

For more information, contact the manufacturer, which in this case is Bayer. The label that comes with the product will have a toll free number, where you can get advice on how to use the product. When calling, look at the EPA Registration Number, which is the number that identifies the product among the thousands of other pesticides, so that the person advising you can be specific. Note, you will also need to indicate what state you are calling from, as states often have more restrictive labels than labels that are issued federally. Also, you might consider calling the National Pesticide Information Center. At NPIC will get someone on the phone who will walk you through the pesticide label and help you better understand the risks. 
http://npic.orst.edu/

Finally, we have a great new publication at OSU that goes over pesticides and bee health in gardens. Check it out. 
https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/em9289

Thank you so very much.  It gets down to be careful, it might be toxic.

Wish i had not bought it.  In fact, the rose I was wanting to treat as it is an "In memory of" 

planting.  But walked by it today and it was in glorious bloom.  Maybe it was trying to tell

me something.

Thanks again.  I now know what to look for in the labels.  

judy nelson

On Thu, Jun 3, 2021 at 11:56 AM Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:
The Question Asker Replied June 04, 2021, 2:34 AM EDT

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