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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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Subject:
From:
Peter L Borst <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Tue, 4 Jun 2013 11:28:31 -0400
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> but common sense says there must be, on a micro, if not macro scale.

"Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen" attributed to Einstein.

I suppose common sense would also suggest that bees foraging on poisonous plants such as nicotiniana, atropa, etc. would encounter poisonous nectar. Which they don't. Nature is pretty good at segregating the toxins to the leaves and making the nectar and pollen generally wholesome. 

A plant which killed pollinators, would either die out or evolve into a self pollinator (e.g.., wind pollinated trees). Similarly, neonics appear to be expressed primarily in the leaves of the plants, and not in the nectar or pollen. 

Hence, plants such as brassica species can be good sources of honey and pollen for bees, despite expressing insecticidal compounds in the leaves. As opposed to the good old days when entire square miles were crop dusted.

Pete

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