# Information on the toxicity of different herbicides for bees



## erlaita (Jan 17, 2015)

Hello,
Do you know of a list or place where they offer information about the toxicity they have on the bees of the different herbicides currently used?
Specifically, I need information on Garlon's toxicity.


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

"National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) provides objective, science-based information about pesticides and pesticide-related topics to enable people to make informed decisions. NPIC is a cooperative agreement between Oregon State University and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (cooperative agreement #X8-83560101)."
http://npic.orst.edu/

And Garlon is a trade name for Triclopyr, which is an herbicide. Read the PDF at this link ...


> What are some products that contain triclopyr?
> - Garlon, Turflon, Pathfinder, Access, Brush-B-Gon, Confront, Crossbow (2).
> ... ...
> ... ...
> ...


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## Richard Cryberg (May 24, 2013)

erlaita said:


> Hello,
> Do you know of a list or place where they offer information about the toxicity they have on the bees of the different herbicides currently used?
> Specifically, I need information on Garlon's toxicity.


Why not spend a few seconds and google LD50s? You can do that faster than asking here. You will find most herbicides are about as toxic to bees as table salt.


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## jim lyon (Feb 19, 2006)

Here is a pretty scholarly link showing how benign glyphosate actually is to honeybees. The trouble with having any reasonable discussion about glyphosate is that it ties into the whole GMO argument which is rife with disinformation. As Mr. Cryberg says, the information is out there for those willing to research with an open mind.
https://academic.oup.com/jee/article-lookup/doi/10.1093/jee/tov269


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## johno (Dec 4, 2011)

One always hears about the additives being more toxic than glyphosate, which additives are these.
Johno


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

A surfactant is often added to herbicide sprays (to reduce water surface tension and get a finer spray mist). Surfactants are more or less similar to detergents. And detergent mixed with water (bubbles/foam etc) can be used to smother insects. 

However, the spray (with surfactant) would need to be sprayed on the insect, and with sufficient volume to block the bees' spiracles (breathing tubes) to kill them. It seems likely to me that the average glyphosate + surfactant spray application isn't likely to smother bees in any significant amount.


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## johno (Dec 4, 2011)

In a post somewhere Richard mentioned some Japanese were drinking Roundup and that the glyphosate was not doing them in as it was the adjuvants, so was just wondering what it was that could do such damage. I would not think the surfactants would be that bad.
Johno


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## Richard Cryberg (May 24, 2013)

johno said:


> In a post somewhere Richard mentioned some Japanese were drinking Roundup and that the glyphosate was not doing them in as it was the adjuvants, so was just wondering what it was that could do such damage. I would not think the surfactants would be that bad.
> Johno


They can be that bad.


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## TWall (May 19, 2010)

It can be very confusing to try and figure out what may or may not be a problem. It may be that the active ingredient is not a major concern. Then, because something is a problem with mammals is it also a problem with insects? Sometimes highly potent insecticides have less of an impact on honey bees because they break down so quickly in sunlight and have no residual toxicity.

LD50's help describe toxicity. Understanding the mode of action, residual activity/persistence, etc. are important parts of the puzzle.

Tom


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## ALOHA BUZZ (Apr 23, 2015)

I have a neighbor using crossbow on blueberries and me and my wife have headache from it while working on my beehives yesterday.
I visited my neighbor and asked what was he spraying on the backyard. It was crossbow for blackberries control and he got the headache too. My question is how or if the bees will be affected and if the honey and brood is going to be compromised too.
Please advise


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## Bdfarmer555 (Oct 7, 2015)

ALOHA BUZZ said:


> I have a neighbor using crossbow on blueberries and me and my wife have headache from it while working on my beehives yesterday.
> I visited my neighbor and asked what was he spraying on the backyard. It was crossbow for blackberries control and he got the headache too. My question is how or if the bees will be affected and if the honey and brood is going to be compromised too.
> Please advise


Crossbow is mentioned in the quote of post #2. Check radar's link above. Crossbow is triclopyr and 2-4d. I've never had issues with 2-4d unless I had virgins mating, and the post above suggests no issues with triclopyr.


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