Bees in Bend unexpectedly drop dead

Bees are an important part of the environment, pollinating plants that we use for food crops and home gardens. Recently in Bend, beekeepers have reported hundreds of bees dying unexpectedly.

A colony of bees can range from 20,000 to 60,000 honeybees and a queen. Matter of Trust, an eco-industrial hub, says the average bee will make only 1/12 of a teaspoon of honey in its lifetime. For one bee, this may seem insignificant, but when hundreds or even thousands are dying at one time it can severely affect the ecosystem.

A Bend beekeeper apprentice recalled her bees dropping dead three weeks ago.

“The only thing that we’ve noticed is that they’re dying with their tongues out,” Anna Aguirre said Wednesday. “This means almost 100% they’re poisoned by pesticides. It is something that affects them, and they were probably not the target. If you put it in the flowers or the garden for the weeds, they just absorb it and die.”

Aguirre said that when bees are poisoned there is nothing to do but hope the next generation survives.

Commercial pesticides are typically used on farms, at fruit stands and in large agricultural communities. This type of pesticide is strong enough to wipe out an entire hive.

Residential pesticides are less harmful and found at local stores like Lowe’s Home Improvement or Home Depot, and these are generally free of neonicotinoids and harsher chemicals.

Jimmy Wilkie, a master beekeeper in Bend, said, “Unfortunately, we can’t keep under control where bees forage, and where they get their pollen. Bees forage up to four- to five-mile radiuses from where their hive is. So depending on where you’re located, a pesticide can come from anywhere, not even within a mile radius. It’s a really hard thing to pinpoint.”

Wilkie recommends spraying pesticides before plants bloom, or at night, when bees are not out.

If you suspect your bees have been affected by pesticides, contact the Central Oregon Beekeeping Association for information and support.