Re: Re:CULT: Merit (Imidocloprid) & honey bees

 I'm not sure what kind of bees I have, but there are plenty here and I
smell the honey.
There is a bumblebee that seems to like one of my iris.

In fact, it scared me. I was up close taking a photo and something moved.
It was a bee and had same coloring as my iris.
I think I posted that photo a while back.

Linda in CW AZ
-------Original Message-------

From: John I Jones
Date: 03/17/08 07:46:32
To: iris@hort.net
Subject: [iris] 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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