Farmers need to use pesticides and insecticides to protect their crops. However, many of these chemicals are dangerous to honey bees and other pollinating insects.

The Essex Beekeepers’ Association runs a successful spray liaison scheme providing a single point of contact for farmers.

If you are a farmer and want to warn beekeepers nearby about spraying then please call Jim McNeill  our spray and disease liaison officer on  01708 765898 he will pass the message on.

Information about pesticides and their suitability for use near honeybees can be found at:

The Pesticides Safety Directorate, based in York, has a website at www.pesticides.gov.uk. The directorate also has an information phone line 01904 455 755.  The service team will give information on pesticides (ie safe use for bees) and more importantly information about mixes which farmers may be using.

The Voluntary Initiative also publishes information about insecticides and best practice to minimise their environmental impact in arable crops on their website at www.pesticides.gov.uk.

This information is primarily aimed at farmers but may be of help to members contacted by a farmer who is going to use a spray.