Filing A Bee Claim

What to do if you suspect a pesticide kill:

If you think your bees have been killed by the possible misuse of a pesticide, you need to report it immediately. The Colorado Department of Agriculture has removed the page on filing a bee claim from their website. They would like you to file a verbal report with an employee. 303-869-9059 is the number.

It is still very important to report so here are some other options: Please, whether you have 2 hives or 2000, REPORT IT We cannot claim there is an issue if we fail to provide any data to support it. Here are two options:

Pollinator Stewardship Council

EPA asks that you file a report with the National Pesticide Information Center Here is a link to guidelines on completing the report. They have also set up a new bee kill reporting email: [email protected]. Anonymity is guaranteed.

Next, document your losses.

Take photos and video. Be sure to turn on the time/date stamp on your camera.

Take samples of bees, nectar, pollen and wax and follow these instructions for sending them out for testing. Best, according to the Pesticide Research Institute, take an entire frame out and put it in your freezer. Pesticide Research Institute is a helpful source of information on reporting a suspected bee kill.

Contact your regional association, if you are a member of one. If not, contact me at [email protected] so I can stay in the loop.

Keep a diary of all contacts made and be sure to note with whom you spoke and what day you did it. We have had issues with a lack of timeliness in the past that we want to make sure do not occur in the future.

Hopefully, you will not need to request an investigation this summer or any summer–but now you know how to do it.