Thanks for the links Peter.

From this one:
> http://www.ns.ec.gc.ca/reports/admire.html

I clipped this:

Study sites included five active potato-farming operations in NB IN 1995-96
and two experimental
test plot sites on PEI in 1995-96.  Concentrations of imidacloprid in
aquatic sediments adjacent to
treated NB fields were monitored for five months encompassing pre-treatment
(late May), growing
season, post season, and 1 year post treatment.  In the PEI tests, dissolved
and particulate
concentrations in surface runoff and adjacent streams were monitored at
regular intervals for seven
months for pre-treatment (early July) to late winter (late February 1996).

Off-field movement was detected in most cases and throughout the measurement
period
(0.1µg/L-4.4 µg/L in water and 0.006 to 0.052 µg/g in stream sediments).
Foliar applications
resulted in losses of imidacloprid in the growing season (demonstrated by
peak presence in
sediments and runoff range), followed by smaller peaks later in the season,
up to seven months post
application. In furrow applications resulted in negligible losses in the
early season, but periodic
releases with time, peaking in the post-season and winter period.  Elevated
levels of imidacloprid in
runoff and sediments did not typically occur after runoff events, although
highest concentrations
followed runoff events such as periods of precipitation and snow melt.

End of clip.

This is a rather disturbing report, since they only followed it for seven
menths, and it was detectable all that period.

I had one yard this year at a dairy farm where he had traded fields with a
potato grower last year.  Because of that the field did not rotate through
grain, but went immediately back to clover and alfalfa.  The field was
sprayed with admire.

This was by far the poorest yard of 46.  I lost almost a third of the hives.
I also noticed something rather unusual: the bees were extremely aggressive
(rather astounding given that the yard was all packages from New Zealand,
which are normally almost impossible to disturb).  I am wondering if it is
possible that the heavy usage of imidacloprid on PEI now has anything to do
with our unusual incidence of EFB this season.  Perhaps it was one of the
stress factors.

I would much appreciate it if someone would post the symptoms of
imidacloprid poisoning in bees.

Thanks,
Stan