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1. Why does New Hanover County Mosquito Control Care about bees?

Bees are responsible for maintaining natural plant communities and ensuring the production of seeds in most flowering plants. Without bees transferring pollen from one flower to another for fertilization, crops and plants would not be able to grow or bear fruit. New Hanover County Mosquito Control understands the vital role that bees play in our ecosystem and is happy to work with beekeepers to help protect their hives.

2. What if I have a concern about NHC Mosquito Control spraying near my beehives?

NHC Mosquito Control takes protecting beehives very seriously and works with local beekeepers to address concerns about mosquito spraying in their area. Beekeepers may submit a Spray Exclusion Form (PDF) to request a "no-spray" buffer zone of approximately 300 feet around their property. When arriving at the "no-spray" zone, Mosquito Control will turn off the truck-mounted sprayers and will not turn them back on until the property has been passed. Don't be alarmed if you still hear the motor running while the spray is off.

NHC Mosquito Control may also change spray routes to accommodate "no-spray" areas. Typically, mosquito spraying takes place in the evening hours when bees have returned to their hives. However, there may be some situations when bees are still foraging in the target area when spraying begins. If this happens, Mosquito Control will make an effort to plan spray routes with "no-spray" zones at the end of the route to ensure bees are in their hives by the time the truck arrives at their location.

3. What happens to the bees when they forage the next day?

The spray used by NHC Mosquito Control is not expected to have any residual effects that would affect bee foraging the following day. The chemicals used for mosquito spraying are applied using ultra-low volume (ULV) methods, which translates to very small quantities of chemicals used per acre. The small spray droplets break down with UV exposure, degrade rapidly, and are only effective in targeting mosquitoes while the droplets remain airborne.

Additionally, NHC Mosquito Control only sprays on roadways, decreasing the total area where the spray reaches and limiting any residual effects.

4. What can beekeepers do to protect their beehives?

Register your beehives with Beecheck. This will give us an email alert that let us know the location of the hives.

Submit a Spray Exclusion Form (PDF) and notify Mosquito Control of the beehives on your property. If you have questions or concerns, please contact us at 910-798-6667. We are glad to help you protect your bees.

Additionally, the local Beekeepers Association can provide information on safe methods for protecting beehives.

5. What are some other resources for beekeepers?

• Colony Collapse Disorder
• Fieldwatch – Supports communication, collaboration, and cooperation between crop growers, beekeepers, and pesticide applicators.
• NC Apiary Services
• NC Beekeeper Association
• NC Cooperative Extension
• NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
• New Hanover County Beekeeper Association