JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Duval County's Mosquito Control Division is stepping up efforts in spraying insecticides after eight people in Jacksonville contracted West Nile Virus from mosquitoes. While this may help protect local residents, it is alarming to those who raise bees.
Beekeeper Earl Braddock completely understands the importance of beating the West Nile outbreak, but the bees he keeps as a hobby are being harmed by the chemicals being sprayed.
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"The mosquito control sprayed about two weeks ago," Braddock said. "I heard the plane fly over and I told my wife, 'I hope they didn't kill my bees.' Well when I came out and checked on them that morning, there were a lot of bees dead in front of the hive."
Jacksonville Mosquito Control is also concerned about the effects the pesticides have on the bees, but they say their primary concern is to make sure people are safe. Division Chief John Shellhorn said his office is spraying at certain times to limit damage to bees and other wildlife
"Bees are least active at dusk and dawn, when mosquitoes are most active," Shellhorn said. "We are trying our best to avoid the most bee-populated areas."
Michael Leach, president of the Jacksonville Beekeepers Association, says there isn't too much a beekeeper can do to protect bees from the chemicals other than hope sprayers will keep the bees in mind as much as possible.
"The best thing to do is help educate the applicator to try to treat more in the evening or night hours when bees are home and not exposed to the pesticides when their not flying around," Leach said.
The beekeepers told Channel 4's Elizabeth Campbell they were optimistic that the threat of West Nile Virus will pass and that their hives will recover.
Mosquito control says that bee-populated areas aren't the only places they try to avoid. Anyone with medical conditions that could be affected by pesticides can request for their area to be put on a "non-spraying" list.
For more information on spraying in a specific Jacksonville neighborhood, call 904-630-CITY.