Re:CULT: Merit (Imidocloprid) & honey bees

I have been keeping bees for 15 years or so and I don't recall ever having seen a bee on an iris flower. Even if they were to fly to one, unless you actually sprayed the flower (or got over-spray on the flower) the bee would not be in contact with the poison. Honey bees don't typically spend time on foliage. 

John

On Mar 16, 2008, at 8:41 PM, Mary Swann-Young wrote:


Can only speak for my own experience.

Imidocloprid is the active ingredient to look for.  As far as
I know Merit (trade name) is no longer available.  Bayer
Advanced Garden Tree and Shrub Insect Control concentrate
has 1.47% Imidocloprid.  I use maybe 8-10 fluid ounces per
5 gallons of water and spray iris foliage 3 times in the spring
at about 2-3 week intervals beginning about April 1.  The
beginning date is based on active growth here.

Been doing this for 2 years now.  Lots of sweet clover in
what little lawn I have left.  Have seen no diminution in number
or activity of the honey bees.  They're all over the clover. There's
also a 56 acre hay field behind my place, so lots of choices they
seem to prefer to iris.

March meeting of the Indiana Daylily Iris Society rescheduled for
this Tuesday at 7PM, Holiday Park Nature Center, Indianapolis.
Hope to see you there!

Mary Lou, near Indianapolis, Z5 - looking forward to Austin!

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