Honey Bees and Neonicotinoids

We strive to use as few pesticides as posible by using traps and pheremones but do occasionally use them. This is usually with corn, which we spray only several weeks before it is harvested. When choosing insecticied we choose only chemicals that are NOT NEONICOTINOIDS! This is extremely important to us as several studies have linked the mass dying of honey bees and other polinators with neonicotinoids. Neonicotinoids are a neurotoxic insecticide, meaning they are pesticides designed to kill insects by attacking their nerve cells. They are also “systemic,” meaning they dissolve in water and are absorbed by plants, making the plant itself—including its nectar, pollen, and fruit—toxic to insects. The levels applied can often be so high that they make the plant toxic to insects for years after the initial treatment. Neonicotinoid residues are found in 86% of honey in the U.S.

As farmers honey bees are extremely important to our business. We rely on them for pollentation, and have several hives on our property.