Question - weed control in yard
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phillip26r
- Posts: 104
- Joined: Tue Mar 21, 2006 2:52 pm
- Location: Tennessee/Lexington
My guy came today and fertilized and sprayed the yard. Is there any potential for these chemicals to be harmful to my martins?
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Ed Svetich-WI
- Posts: 815
- Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2004 10:05 pm
- Location: Brooks, Wi (McGinnis Lake)
- Martin Colony History: 24 Super and Excluder Gourds on two gourd racks, all SREH. Full occupancy. My philosophy is to maximize fledge % with existing cavities rather than adding gourds to grow colony, thus providing opportunities for new colony expansion. Fledge over 100 nestlings yearly from 24 gourds. Band nestlings in cooperation with state university. 2019 Adendum: Reduced colony size to 12 gourds to focus on more intensive management regimen.
It depends what he used and how it was applied. Any herbicide and insecticide is toxic to most organisms. The newer regulations have reduced the concentration and application rates significantly. If it was granular and was applied responsibly to avoid drift, the risks are minimal to almost nil. If the application was liquid, it is always best to avoid contact until it dries.
Years ago, I was certified in pest control. I protected myself head to toe to avoid contact with anything that I was applying. You know the old saying, read the label. My neighbor applies liquid weed killer in shorts and tennis shoes. He has not begun to grow extra limbs( yet).
Your martins will be fine.
Ed
Years ago, I was certified in pest control. I protected myself head to toe to avoid contact with anything that I was applying. You know the old saying, read the label. My neighbor applies liquid weed killer in shorts and tennis shoes. He has not begun to grow extra limbs( yet).
Your martins will be fine.
Ed
I spray about 120 gallons of 2-4-D Amine, every year for Broadleaf Weed, and it has no effect at all, on anything but weeds. Insect sprays will kill the food source, but the Martins won't be eating the dead bugs. I think if sprayed responsibly you'll be just fine.
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Emil Pampell-Tx
- Posts: 6743
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 1:26 pm
- Location: Tx, Richmond (SW of Houston)
- Martin Colony History: First started in Gretna, La in 1969 with a small homemade house, have had martins ever since at 2 different homes in Texas
pear and ED, you have the key words "spray responsibly". A whole lot of people spray and make the spray 2, 3,4, or 10times too strong, and say "I want to make sure that they are dead".
I saw a guy use a whole gallon of concentrated diazinon to spray about 8 live oak trees for a worm that put little balls on the leaves, the worm never hurts the tree. He even purchased a big power sprayer that would reach the tops of the trees. Needless to say, the spray was so strong, he nearly died from "unknown" causes. He had no protective gear to wear, and then he was extremely sick for about 4 years. Now he swears that he will never use an insecticide again, but he had to learn the hard way, he wanted to "be sure to kill them". The over use of pesticides is a serious problem with so many people, and the sad thing is that it does not help or is not necessary, just READ THE LABEL and follow directions.
I saw a guy use a whole gallon of concentrated diazinon to spray about 8 live oak trees for a worm that put little balls on the leaves, the worm never hurts the tree. He even purchased a big power sprayer that would reach the tops of the trees. Needless to say, the spray was so strong, he nearly died from "unknown" causes. He had no protective gear to wear, and then he was extremely sick for about 4 years. Now he swears that he will never use an insecticide again, but he had to learn the hard way, he wanted to "be sure to kill them". The over use of pesticides is a serious problem with so many people, and the sad thing is that it does not help or is not necessary, just READ THE LABEL and follow directions.
PMCA Member, 250 gourds, 6 poles, 2traps