# Possible to spray for ticks without hurting bees?



## AR Beekeeper (Sep 25, 2008)

I use the tick granules sold by Wal-Mart. I spread them at dusk and water them in.


----------



## DerTiefster (Oct 27, 2016)

two and a half acres is enough for some chickens. I have read from more than one person (one a co-worker) that their tick problem evaporated when they started keeping hens in the yard. A rooster is optional, as consistent with local legal constraints.

Michael


----------



## Richinbama (Jan 15, 2018)

Chickens and guineas. Guineas are best. Chickens close second. 2.5 acres and no chickens, sounds pretty.rural to.me isn't there a statute that deals with former farmland, and agriculture use grandfathered in? I lived in Charlotte for years, and folks kept hens allot.


----------



## Tenacious Dave (May 31, 2017)

DerTiefster said:


> two and a half acres is enough for some chickens. I have read from more than one person (one a co-worker) that their tick problem evaporated when they started keeping hens in the yard. A rooster is optional, as consistent with local legal constraints.
> 
> Michael


Micheal,
my post says, "I also live just inside of the city limits (thanks for the anexation) which prohibits us from having chickens. So that solution is out."

I wish I could have chickens. They would be an excellent solution.


----------



## Tenacious Dave (May 31, 2017)

Richinbama said:


> Chickens and guineas. Guineas are best. Chickens close second. 2.5 acres and no chickens, sounds pretty.rural to.me isn't there a statute that deals with former farmland, and agriculture use grandfathered in? I lived in Charlotte for years, and folks kept hens allot.


I cannot have chickens due to living in the city limits. 
The bad part is that I really do live out in the country away from any "city", but the town annexed us in. So livestock (including poultry) is out.


----------



## Drowsus (May 30, 2016)

I do pest control and keep honey bees. A tick treatment doesn't need to be applied to your entire lawn. Just along the outer perimeter where ticks will be crossing over from their breeding sites like decaying organic matter and leaf mold, etc. into the yard. Companies should be using whats known as a repellant product, which means it kills quickly and doesn't allow social insects time to transfer the products back to their colonies. There might be a small number of non target deaths, but nothing more than you'd expect from regular foraging. Two things you should know. You need to be present when they come to do the treatment so you can show them where the hives are and have them not treat close to them. I'd leave a good 30 feet or so around the hives untreated. The misting backpacks that they use can cause the stuff to float a bit, so they need to be conscious (and should be) of the direction they are treating as well as the direction of the wind so the product doesn't drift towards the hives. Also, a lot of companies will do tick and mosquito treatments combined. Tell them not to do mosquitoes. Only do the ticks. The difference is treating only the ground for ticks versus all the shrubbery, which act as resting sites for mosquitoes. However, these shrubs bloom a lot of times, attracting your bees, causing more non-target deaths. Stick with just an outer perimeter treatment for ticks only and you should have no issues.

Hope this helps! Dan

Or get chickens-------lololol


----------



## Tim KS (May 9, 2014)

Tenacious Dave said:


> Everyone keeps saying "get chickens". My post clearly states that unfortunately I cannot have chickens due to living in the city limits. Sorry if I sound a little annoyed, but so far three people have replied and I still have no good ideas on how to combat this problem.


No one is trying to annoy you, however you should double check the city ordinance that says chickens are a 'no no'............it may say roosters instead of chickens. Many cities make that distinction because of the noise factor involving roosters.


----------



## DerTiefster (Oct 27, 2016)

And I apologize for not having read the entire post carefully. Looking back at your post, I observe that on this, my wife's computer with a wide screen and itty-bitty font, your mention of city limits was on the last line of a paragraph. I should have seen it, but then we wouldn't be having this nice conversation.

Our municipality allows chickens but has ruled out roosters (thanks to "action" on the part of the council in the past half-year) unless you already had some. It might actually be possible, if you looked carefully at your property, that there was actually some chicken (bones, feathers, etc) on the property as of the annexation, and that you are therefore "grandfathered in" on that count. Perhaps you had a chick living in the crawl space under your home.


----------



## Tenacious Dave (May 31, 2017)

AR Beekeeper said:


> I use the tick granules sold by Wal-Mart. I spread them at dusk and water them in.


Do you know what brand or what chemicals are in them? Most I've seen will also hurt flying insects, so I don't want to hurt the bees.


----------



## Drowsus (May 30, 2016)

I would use a product called demand. What I'm trying to say most insecticides will kill honey bees but if it's applied properly there will be a very very small amount of non-target deaths to the honey bees. When I have problems with carpenter ants attacking my bee hives, I treat underneath them with demand. I'm sure an occasional honeybee here and their lands on the surface and it will kill that them, but it gets rid of the carpenter ants and it doesn't affect the overall performance or health of the hive.


----------



## Drowsus (May 30, 2016)

You could also look into using a natural product such as cedar oil. From what I understand cedar oil will help control ticks but is not so toxic that it will kill honey bees. When honey bees come in contact with it it makes them feel uncomfortable and leave the treated surface before dying. The only drawback to using cedar oil is it does not have a very long residual effect so it needs to be applied every 3 weeks. I honestly do not think you'll have any issues using a product like demand.


----------



## Tenacious Dave (May 31, 2017)

Tim KS said:


> No one is trying to annoy you, however you should double check the city ordinance that says chickens are a 'no no'............it may say roosters instead of chickens. Many cities make that distinction because of the noise factor involving roosters.


I know they're not and I did not imply they were intending to. I'm annoyed that I can't have chickens. I have checked the ordinances. 
Chapter 90.01 (A) It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to keep within the corporate limits of the town, any livestock, animals or poultry other than house pets. This prohibition shall be interpreted to include cows, swine, goats, sheep, chickens and turkeys, but this list is not to be deemed all inclusive. 

They also have a huge section on beekeeping that I have read very thoroughly. 

I do appreciate all responses.


----------



## Tenacious Dave (May 31, 2017)

DerTiefster said:


> And I apologize for not having read the entire post carefully. Looking back at your post, I observe that on this, my wife's computer with a wide screen and itty-bitty font, your mention of city limits was on the last line of a paragraph. I should have seen it, but then we wouldn't be having this nice conversation.
> 
> Our municipality allows chickens but has ruled out roosters (thanks to "action" on the part of the council in the past half-year) unless you already had some. It might actually be possible, if you looked carefully at your property, that there was actually some chicken (bones, feathers, etc) on the property as of the annexation, and that you are therefore "grandfathered in" on that count. Perhaps you had a chick living in the crawl space under your home.


Thanks. You have a point. There are grandfather clauses. Chickens would help a lot in the back yard. 
Thanks for your response. Didn't mean to sound annoyed. Just looking for a solution before someone gets lime disease.


----------



## Tenacious Dave (May 31, 2017)

Drowsus said:


> I do pest control and keep honey bees. A tick treatment doesn't need to be applied to your entire lawn. Just along the outer perimeter where ticks will be crossing over from their breeding sites like decaying organic matter and leaf mold, etc. into the yard. Companies should be using whats known as a repellant product, which means it kills quickly and doesn't allow social insects time to transfer the products back to their colonies. There might be a small number of non target deaths, but nothing more than you'd expect from regular foraging. Two things you should know. You need to be present when they come to do the treatment so you can show them where the hives are and have them not treat close to them. I'd leave a good 30 feet or so around the hives untreated. The misting backpacks that they use can cause the stuff to float a bit, so they need to be conscious (and should be) of the direction they are treating as well as the direction of the wind so the product doesn't drift towards the hives. Also, a lot of companies will do tick and mosquito treatments combined. Tell them not to do mosquitoes. Only do the ticks. The difference is treating only the ground for ticks versus all the shrubbery, which act as resting sites for mosquitoes. However, these shrubs bloom a lot of times, attracting your bees, causing more non-target deaths. Stick with just an outer perimeter treatment for ticks only and you should have no issues.
> 
> Hope this helps! Dan
> 
> Or get chickens-------lololol


Thanks Dan! I'll check with a local company on options. Also... can I get one of dem chickens?


----------



## elmer_fud (Apr 21, 2018)

semi random thought on the chickens 

I have heard from one of my coworkers that once you pass a certain acerage (35 or 40 here I think) that you no longer fall under/have to adhere to city guidelines/regulations and you fall into county and/or state guidelines. Not sure if something like this exists in your state, and I tend to think you do not have enough land for this to work, but it is a thought. This is also second hand so I may be missing some details and I dont know how accurate it it.


----------



## nervousnellie (May 25, 2011)

I also was worried about ticks, with ggson playing in the yard. I visited my local herbalist and got a tick repellent - lemon grass, eucalyptus, mixed with water and vodka - spray on socks and pants before going outside. Since we've been doing this, we've not seen any ticks. Don't know if the ticks weren't there, or if the spray works - but whatever, no ticks.


----------



## Nabber86 (Apr 15, 2009)

Spray your cloths with permethrin and let them dry before wearing. Yes permethin is highly toxic to honeybees, but unless they land on your bee suit and lick it, it wont hurt them. Small amount, if any, collateral damage to keep yourself safe. 

I am not too concerned with Lyme disease, but this new Lone Star tick infection that makes your allergic to red meat scares the hell out of me  . 

For anyone wanting to use permethrin you can get it on Amazon for not too much money. Oh and it does work. I treated a pair of pants, shirt, and socks last spring and spent many mornings in the deep woods looking for mushrooms. Not one tick was found after several excursions. The stuff works wonders. 

https://www.amazon.com/Sawyer-Produ...&keywords=permethrin+clothing+treatment&psc=1


----------



## rwurster (Oct 30, 2010)

First tick I have ever gotten I got in my outyard the other day. I thought I had gotten a splinter, it pulled my skin way out when i plucked it out. Nasty little buggers.


----------



## jadebees (May 9, 2013)

The horse spray sold as fly repellant contains a low dose of permethrin. Spritzed on your footwear and pantlegs, it gets ticks pretty well. I would not put it on skin, but it also will de-flea & tick a dog very well. It is more of a contact spray.


----------



## whiskers (Aug 28, 2011)

I've bought permethrin at Tractor Supply, ask where it is, it wasn't where I was looking.

In some localities your critters stop being pets at a threshold number (often three). Lack of commercial utility may also be a factor. So if you have three bantam chickens (often kept as pets or at least curiosities) you might be OK.

Bill


----------



## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

Would the beekeepers favorite, Amitraz, be usable?

Furthermore, amitraz is especially effective against insects such as spider mites and ticks in their juvenile and resistant forms.[SUP][7][/SUP] For agricultural purposes amitraz is primarily used to control the pear psylla (Cacopsylla pyricola) on Oregon pear crops and whiteflies and mites on cotton or pear crops.[SUP][6][/SUP] It's also applied to pome fruit, citrus fruit, cotton, stone fruit, bush fruit, strawberries, hops, cucurbits, aubergines, capsicums, tomatoes and ornamental plants to control all stages of tetranychid and eriophyid mites, pear suckers, scale insects, mealybugs, whiteflies, aphids and eggs and first instar larvae of lepidoptera.[SUP][1][/SUP] To apply amitraz, various techniques can be used such as an airblast and concentrate spray to pears or by ground boom and aircraft to cotton.[SUP][8][/SUP] Territorial differences in amitraz use depend on the species of mites that infest the crops/trees/etc., the local practice, and the number and size of the pear trees. An infestation e.g. by Tetranychus spp requires higher rates of amitraz. Taking those factors into consideration the application volumes of amitraz have been standardized in terms of maximum spray concentration and in the rate of amitraz per hectare.[SUP][6][/SUP]


----------

