----- Original Message ----- 
From: "randy oliver" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
>
> I've known about the guttation fluid issue for a while, and wondered about
> bees getting exposed to neonics via sap at plant injuries.  I recently
> checked a bee kill that I had at the same time that farmers were cutting
> corn for silage.  I wondered if the bees were taking clothianidin-laden 
> sap
> from the cut stalks.  I had a friend check a freshly-cut field near his
> beeyards--the bees weren't working the stalks at all.

Many cattle farmers will cut a couple rows of corn every day to feed to the 
cattle as greenchop. The stubble will leak sap for two or three days it 
dries out.  But each day there is fresh material.

Some growers will also mix a little bit of sorghum with the corn, in fields 
intended to be used for this purpose. This amplies the effect, due to the 
sap having even higher sugar content than corn.

And yes, the bees do gather this sweet sap. I've seen them do it in 
significant numbers.

I don't know if there is any correlation with pesticide losses. But the 
revelation of the guttation, and the high concentrations in this, means that 
further study is really needed. We may have a sleeper here. Or we may not. 
But we need to know.

Dave, retired beekeeper

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