"On the subject of pesticides, I am in Bob's camp.  What I see and just plain common sense tells me that our wide spread use of pesticides is effecting our bees.  I keep bees in Illinois where I have never observed spraying directly killing my colonies, but I am within bee flight of many field who spray liberilly.  I also keep bees in Northern Wisconsin where I am many miles from production farming  with mother natures woodlands for my bees to forage.  It is not quite fair to compare honey crops between the two areas because the territory is so different, but I can tell you that the northern bees grow stronger and have fewer queen problems than the southern bees.  Is it the pesticide (or herbicide) use that makes the difference?  I don't know, but it is a pattern that I hear observed by many.  I am not sure the beekeepers of the US can wait for the scientific data to prove the relationship.  It may be too late then.
 
Larry Krengel"

I agree.  

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