Information From the NCDA&CS to Beekeepers Concerning Hurricane Florence
The email included below was sent out from Jason Williams with the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Structural Pest Control and Pesticides Division to all beekeepers that have registered their hives through DriftWatch. We wanted to make sure that everyone in the County Extension Centers was in the loop in case a call comes concerning any announcements about spraying for mosquitoes.
Keep in mind that, at this point, no specific wide-area spray programs are actually planned since those determinations are based on needs assessments and logistics in the areas affected by the storm. Some municipalities and counties likely have plans in place for local ground-based applications to help reduce mosquito activity where possible as recovery efforts begin. However, citizens need to keep in mind that the same conditions that hamper recovery activities (such as accessibility) can also impact on the ability to conduct any mosquito management efforts.
Additionally, all of the preliminary (and complicated) steps that lead up to any large-scale program are currently being addressed and the actual need for spraying will be assessed through a coordinated effort by the various county, state and federal agencies in the days after the storm.
Mike Waldvogel & David Tarpy
———- Forwarded message ———
From: williams, jason h <Jason.Williams@ncagr.gov>
Date: Wed, Sep 12, 2018 at 11:48 a.m.
I wanted to reach out to all of the beekeepers that have registered with the Driftwatch (Beecheck Program), to remind you to prepare your hives for the approaching hurricane. I have linked two articles below that will aid in this. The first is written by Dr. David Tarpy and is titled Protective Measures of Beehives During Hurricanes. The second is from Dr. Michael Waldvogel and is titled “Bee” Kind If You Spray for Mosquitos. Both of these articles are good resources for both beekeepers and mosquito applicators.
In the event that Hurricane Florence causes massive rainfall and flooding, a State of Emergency could be declared by the Commissioner of Agriculture. If this occurs, the State would authorize exemptions from certain restrictions of aerial applications of pesticides to control the mosquito population. If plans are made for wide-area mosquito applications, I will send out further updates on this matter.
Thanks and Happy Beekeeping,
Pesticide Operations Specialist
NCDA&CS – SPCAP
1090 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699