Bee Conservation

Bees are extremely important and as we all know, there is a growing concern about the decline in bee populations around the world. Many theories about bee loss exist including disease, mites, loss of habitat and pesticides. By understanding how a residual product works and the areas on which it is applied, you can both control biting insects like mosquitoes and biting midge within your yard but also know you aren’t causing harm our precious bee populations.

Flowering Plants vs Leafy Green

Understanding how a barrier treatment works is key to understanding how best to avoid harming bees. You can do this by specifically targeting towards the habits of mosquitoes and biting midge by focusing on where they feed and rest. Female mosquitoes and biting midge feed on human and mammals blood to get protein to lay eggs, however they mainly feed on the leaves of plants for their energy source, which is where the treatment is applied.

You should spray the leaves of plants and shady, moist areas around the property where mosquitoes like to rest and actively avoid treating flowering plants where bees are often found foraging. Along with avoiding flowering plants, make sure not to spray vegetable, herb and fruit gardens and annuals in pots which bees love!

If you watch a bee carefully and closely, which is very interesting in itself, you will see how they zero in on a flower target, only landing in and consuming the nectar inside a flower in bloom. Rarely will bees harbour or rest of green leafy foliage or undergrowth.

Product Formulation

Just like there are different formulations and levels of strength for the cleaning products in your home or washing your car, there are differing levels and categories of pesticides. No Mosquitoes Midge and Mosquito Barrier bifenthrin is classed as a synthetic pyrethroid. Pyrethroids are manmade versions of pyrethrin’s, which come from chrysanthemum flowers. Bifenthrin is used on various agricultural crops and in homes.

It has been said that a pesticide is a pesticide is a pesticide which is not true! Pesticides associated with widely spread bee loss are mainly neonicotinoids. In November 2019, the APVMA decided to commence a chemical reconsideration of neonicotinoid insecticides to reconsider approved active constituents, registrations of selected products containing neonicotinoids, and all associated label approvals on the basis of risks to the environment.

In addition, our product is specifically labelled to be mixed for the weight of a mosquito and even smaller biting midge, and they are tiny in weight – much smaller than Australian native and honey bees. You still must take great care and follow the label when mixing and applying. Spraying an insect directly will result in killing the insect so best avoid the times of day when bees are foraging.