The column in the June 28 Renton Reporter regarding bees and beekeeper Brian Overman was great.

The FYI sidebar was very revealing – no wonder we are missing hummingbirds and bees. We are appalled by the apparent lack of concern among officials about these wonderful useful creatures.

Previous letters to the Renton Reporter by Paul Ouellette and Bruce Chase expressed concern regarding the lack of birds and hummingbirds in particular.

The “coincidence” of this happening when water meters were installed was suspect. But, hey! people. Spraying insecticide to rid the area of mosquitoes is much more suspect in my mind.

I feel pretty sure that this spraying is the cause of our sadness. Or at least a big part of it.

People have become crazed about mosquitoes, but what about the tremendous benefit from bees and hummingbirds whose presence has become a rare enjoyment?

May I suggest that the scare of West Nile Virus is no longer valid and spraying be stopped.

I have a woodlands adjacent to my house and cannot go outside without mosquito protection. But under no circumstance would I consider spraying to get rid of these “pests.”

Mosquitoes lay eggs on any water surface. This includes retention ponds. With all the wetlands that we are blessed with, this spraying situation is truly unreal.

PLEASE bring back a better environment for our bees and birds (and, oh yes, us too).

Rhea Schmidt
Renton