- There are no laws in South Carolina that explicitly protect honey bees other than the import/export and disease inspection statutes detailed in Title 46:Chapter 37.
- Honey bees that colonize homes or structures and pose threat to the facility or its inhabitants can be destroyed, but the Clemson Apiculture program suggests contacting a local beekeeper to attempt removal before choosing to destroy the colony. Local beekeeper associations maintain lists of members who can remove colonies. You can find them on the SC Beekeepers Association page.
- Pesticide law in SC is enforced by the Department of Pesticide Regulation at Clemson University. DPR is responsible for investigating pesticide misuse and drift reports including honey bee colonies that have died from pesticide exposure. Labels of most pesticides (insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, etc.) contain language with instructions to minimize exposure of honey bees and other pollinators during application. These include application timing, rates, spray equipment, site conditions and other factors that must be accounted-for when using the product. These instructions are designed to improve the efficacy of the product as well as minimize non-target impacts to pollinators and the environment. The label is the law, and deviations from it by an applicator constitutes a violation that can be enforced by the Department of Pesticide Regulation.
*****It is important for beekeepers to rule-out the most common and likely causes of honey bee mortality before assuming pesticides are at fault. The Clemson Apiculture and Pollinator Specialist can help beekeepers determine if management related issues such as pests, diseases, starvation, environmental stresses, or other non-pesticide causes are at fault. Contact Ben Powell at bpowel2@clemson.edu for assistance with bee kills.*****
To report possible pesticide kills in your apiary visit the inspectors’ territory map.