# TRUGreen Sprayed Talstar (Bifenthrin) all along my Apiary today



## Jackam (Jun 3, 2013)

Sunny 68 degrees, wind speeds at 10mph. 9:30 AM

I heard a noise at my door earlier. A note was left that Trugreen had just treated my lawn. I read the note, expecting to find a scheduled fertilizer treatment. Instead I found that they ALSO decided to spray Talstar (I own a pest control company. It's the same pesticide that we use to kill wasps, yellow jackets and many other insects.) 

I raced through the area and found the Trugreen employee. He was spraying another yard, no mask, and no long sleeves.

When I confronted him, he apologized and said that even though we didn't ask for the insect treatment, it was premixed in his tank so we got it for free. *Gee, thanks!* He then went on to tell me that he doesn't think Talstar (Bifenthrin) is a Neonicotinoid and wouldn't hurt honey bees. ARGH!

I called the Trugreen cust serv number and lodged a compliant with the TruGreen cust serv rep. He apologized and told me that we don't pay for pesticide treatment and shouldn't have received it (no kidding!) When I asked why a technician would spray a pesticide near honeybee hives, he said he did not have an answer for me. 
He did say that he'd be sure that we didn't get charged for the honeybee killing pesticide application that TruGreen applied today.

Awaiting a call from a manager. 





SEK TruGreen, Tru Green, honey bees, honeybees, bee hives, pyrethroid, beehives, neonicotinoid, bifenthrin, Talstar, pesticide, pesticide mistake.


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## Groundhwg (Jan 28, 2016)

They are not going to charge you for something you did not ask for or want. Well how good of them. Hope it does not harm your bees and if it does that TruGreen makes it right. Although that will not replace all the time and effort you have spend caring for your girls.


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

Jackam said:


> He then went on to tell me that he doesn't think Talstar (Bifenthrin) is a Neonicotinoid and wouldn't hurt honey bees. ARGH!


Apparently the Trugreen applicator hasn't even bothered to *read the label* for the product he is applying! 

According to the Talstar label, the product can be used to "control" bees and wasps.


> Bees and Wasps
> To control Bees, Wasp, Hornets, and Yellow-Jackets apply a 0.06% dilution. Application should be made in the late evening when insects are at rest. . Thoroughly spray nest and entrance and surrounding areas where insects alight. Spray liberally .....
> 
> _Read the rest of the label here:
> _http://www.fmcprosolutions.com/Port...els/Talstar P Professional 04-17-13R Comm.pdf


:ws:


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## My-smokepole (Apr 14, 2008)

Document everything If you have died off get the state involvements. In fact I would get the state involved. They do not need to be licensed


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## burns375 (Jul 15, 2013)

I wouldnt be to happy. I spray the perimeter of my home to keep bugs out. Im not a big fan of broadcast treatments over the entire lawn.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

They want to make sure you understand that it didn't COST you anything for them to kill your bees...


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## Phoebee (Jan 29, 2014)

I was upset enough when one of these outfits mis-read an address and sprayed herbicide on the lawn to kill my clover, which they seem to think is a weed.

I'm guessing this happens a lot. Ability to read does not seem to be a requirement for employment with these outfits.


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## jwcarlson (Feb 14, 2014)

Locally one of the "lawn care" outfits sprayed Roundup on a guys lawn instead of fertilizer or whatever he was supposed to get.
Pretty funny driving past it and seeing his brown lot.

Frankly, I can't think of a worse allocation of funds and time and energy than grass in a lawn.


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## lemmje (Feb 23, 2015)

I know that over the years my idea of a "proper lawn" has changed. Years ago i was on the side of the manicured grass folks that Scotts and others promote. I'm not a "tree-hugger" per se, but a more natural lawn seems to be so much better for the overall good. Less watering because the natural grasses are more drought tolerant than the seeds they sell at the box stores and require less chemical treatment because they evolved locally with the fauna.


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## beehavior (May 20, 2016)

Jackam said:


> Sunny 68 degrees, wind speeds at 10mph. 9:30 AM
> 
> I heard a noise at my door earlier. A note was left that Trugreen had just treated my lawn. I read the note, expecting to find a scheduled fertilizer treatment. Instead I found that they ALSO decided to spray Talstar (I own a pest control company. It's the same pesticide that we use to kill wasps, yellow jackets and many other insects.)
> 
> ...


So... like how are the bees?


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

My idea of lawn care is to plant dandelions and white dutch clover in my lawn... and only mow when those go to seed.


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## Gumpy (Mar 30, 2016)

Michael Bush said:


> My idea of lawn care is to plant dandelions and white dutch clover in my lawn... and only mow when those go to seed.


My white dutch clover is up to about 6 inches now, so I guess I need to mow it again before the city sends me a letter. 

It's all around my hives, and yet I've only seen one honeybee on it. Bumbles seem to really like it.


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## Phoebee (Jan 29, 2014)

Gumpy said:


> It's all around my hives, and yet I've only seen one honeybee on it. Bumbles seem to really like it.


After considerable research and remediation, we finally got dutch white to grow up at the WV apiary. We got a soil analysis done. As I'd suspected from a color change test kit, the soil was depleted of P and K. It was also too acid for clover to thrive by half a point, so I limed. Those places I treated are finally producing robust white clover blooms this year, and the bees are working them, neglecting all else but lavender, at least around the yard. They even prefer it to sweet yellow clover, so far.

Meanwhile, back in the city, one of our bee club members has several hives about a mile west of us. We're getting foragers, likely his, in our yard this year. They're ignoring the dutch white clover in the lawn and are adoring the butterfly weed in the borders. Which the West Virginia bees are ignoring.

The bees never explain why. But I'm sure they have good reasons. If we could get them to talk, they might tell us the difference in forage quality, and if we need a sprinkle of minerals or something.


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## shinbone (Jul 5, 2011)

jwcarlson said:


> Frankly, I can't think of a worse allocation of funds and time and energy than grass in a lawn.


+1


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## buffaloeletric (Mar 11, 2010)

I always like to threaten places like these by telling them you will write your whole experience on Facebook. What's even better is when they have a facebook page of their own and you write your experience on that. They are usually quick to fix problems once they think the public can see what's happening.


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## Coach62 (Mar 26, 2016)

If you're a PCO then you know the best way to handle it, file a complaint with the state, they take that stuff seriously. (I used to be a licensed PCO).


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## Jackam (Jun 3, 2013)

Coach62 said:


> If you're a PCO then you know the best way to handle it, file a complaint with the state, they take that stuff seriously. (I used to be a licensed PCO).


I did. 
Mistakes happen, but I wanted to give the manager a chance to explain/apologize. He did not do well at either.


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## NiceTom (Jul 23, 2015)

How are the bees?


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## Outdoor N8 (Aug 7, 2015)

I wonder what else is in the tank if they are not cleaning out-

Someone needs to loose their license- the label is the Law.


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