# Dead bees with tongues sticking out symptom of pesticide poisoning?



## O'Bee (Sep 30, 2006)

My mentor told me once that when you find bees dead in front of their hives with their tongues sticking out it means that they have been poisoned by pesticides? Has anyone else heard of this?

Kathy


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## Tom G. Laury (May 24, 2008)

Well when they are poisoned regurgitation is a response and then they die with extruded tongue. 
I don't know if you can run it the other way though, and say that WHENEVER bees die with the tongues extended they were poisoned. 
Not all bee poisonings are pesticides either, for instance the California Buckeye tree is highly toxic and just finished blooming.


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