Many individuals and pest control companies advertising “live bee removals” in Arizona, whether or not the bee problem is an African bee swarm or an African bee colony in a structure, are not licensed because they claim not use pesticides, which are heavily regulated and supervised by the State of Arizona Office of Pest Management for good reason. All pesticides are toxic, but the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) allows their use and has deemed the pesticide product safe for use, if it is applied according to the strict instructions on the product label and if the product is being applied by a licensed applicator. Even the new “green pesticides” called “minimal risk” pesticides are heavily regulated by the EPA and the State of Arizona Office of Pest Management. Some of you may be surprised to know that even soap and water is regulated when used to kill bees and wasps. This is simply means that these companies or individuals are trying to get around having to get licensing and certification with the State of Arizona. It is a fraudulent practice and a scam.
The words “Organic, Green and Natural” are confusing to the consumer and although the EPA has defined the requirements for “Organic” and “Minimal Risk Insecticides”, the EPA has not identified the meaning of any of the other words. For example, any pesticide that has qualified as an “Organic Pesticide” means that it has been scrutinized for use on agricultural crops, commercial food storage areas, and food processing establishments. The contents may also contain inorganic materials. On the other hand, if a pesticide is labeled as a “Minimal Risk” pesticide, it means that the EPA has scrutinized the product after examining both the active ingredients as well as the inert ingredients and found them a little safer for use if applied exactly according to the product label.
Many “Minimal Risk” Insecticides use essential oils from trees and plants. It is common knowledge that some trees and plants can be very toxic in their “natural” state. Eugenol which is largely extracted from the Oil of Cloves is a common ingredient in these pesticides. It is claimed to disrupt the neurotransmitter “Octopamine” which is common in insect species, spiders and mollusks without effecting higher life forms that do not have Octopamine based neural transmitters. However, Eugenol and other essential oil products are indiscriminate killer of these species including beneficial pollinators and predatory insects that help control pests. Also, clove oil has commonly been added to tobacco products in Middle Eastern countries and has been the cause of many inhalation deaths. Are “Minimal Risk” insecticides safe?
Again, all pesticides are toxic and need to be applied correctly according to the EPA certified product label to a specifically listed target pest by an OPM licensed applicator – that is the law. All pesticides are toxic whether they are labeled “organic or minimal risk.” The EPA even goes so far as to forbid licensed applicators from using the words, “safe, non-toxic, natural, or harmless to humans” when referring to pesticide products.
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