Bee-keepers and others in Brentwood were upset last week when their houses were sprayed for mosquitoes, and they thought they were on a ‘no-spray’ list. It’s straightened out now.
They had called Brentwood Public Works to be put on the list out of concern for animals, such as chickens, or insects, such as bees, in their back yard.
Angie Wahlig-Hulshoff keeps bees and chickens, and said on Facebook that chemicals in the spray kills the bees.
“I hate the mosquitoes as much as anyone else but you can make natural, deet-free sprays that don’t harm the bees or you!!” she said.
The person in charge of spraying was out for surgery last week, and the houses on the list were sprayed accidentally, a public works employee said Wednesday. He said it’s straightened out now.
He said the spray is turned off a couple houses before they get to an address that has asked not to be sprayed. He said the motor remains running.
Wahlig-Hulshoff said she spoke with city staff recently about the spraying and said, “They seem to be genuinely interested in coming up with a solution that helps the bees. We talked about spraying after dark and finding out if there are any sprays that are truly ‘safe’ for the bees.”
The Public Works main number, 314-963-8642, is the number to call to be put on the no-spray list.
As of July 31, four houses had requested not to be sprayed for mosquitoes: two in the 8700 block of Rosalie Avenue, one in the 8700 block of Bridgeport Avenue and one in the 2600 block of Melvin Avenue.
I didn’t knowthat you could request to be excluded from the spraying. I am not sure that is widely known as I know several of my neighbors would like to not be sprayed. Also, Angie how do you make natural, deet free sprays? Would love it if we
You can request to be put on the no spray list but honestly, that’s not gonna do much good. I really believe that you have to either spray after dark when bees are in their hives and you the spray has to be safe for other insects. We can’t just kill every bug out when the truck comes by. I don’t know if that’s possible. I wish people could just take personal responsibility for their own property and their own bodies and spray something on yourself ( safe or not, your choice), clean up breeding areas in your yard and encourage neighbors to do the same. The products I chose to use are my own creation made from essential oils that repel mosquitoes mixed in a carrier base. Safe for everyone in our house and sometimes I spray a bit on my dogs too. Just be sure you don’t have sensitivities to the essential oils. I never get bites and don’t feel gross after I already then on myself. They don’t like garlic…they say if you eat a lot of garlic you don’t get bit either. Haven’t tried that one. 🙂
Sorry for the spelling errors above. Responding from my so called smart phone…changes words left and right!
monarch butterflies are poisonous. not complaining. just a fact I recently learned
Toxic to predators that try to eat them, to be precise. And your point was?
I’m trying to encourage the monarch butterfly to visit my butterfly garden. They only lay eggs on the milkweed plant, but unfortunately the spraying is a poison to the monarchs. Brentwood needs to get in tune with nature.
At this point I feel like the city wants to find a solution to this issue. That’s the vibe I’m getting from the city administrator and the head of public works. I feel like this specific issue is just being brought to the table And II want to give the city a chance to be proactive in this situation. As a city we can lead or follow when it comes to these important issues like keeping our pollinators alive. I’m gonna remain optimistic until they give me a reason not to. Fingers crossed!! Come on Brentwood, let’s be a shining example of making positive changes for all the right reasons!
I agree with Angie Wahlig-Hulshoff ‘s assessment. People have access to mosquito repellants and are aware of the conditions that promote their infestations. The bees are a big concern.
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