I really thought that NRDC article was inaccurate and misleading. 

The message seemed to be that pesticides are the reason 1/3 of 
commercial hives perished during the winter of 2004-2005. 

No mention was made of  the miticide resistance issue facing most 
beekeepers which seemed to peak during that time period.  No 
mention was made of the frequent misuse of TACTIC by beekeepers 
to battle Varrora mites or the misuse of checkmite etc. For that matter 
no mention was made either of what the beekeeper featured in the 
article uses to treat for mites in his own hives.  I'd love to know what he 
used or uses now.

I keep bees and grow apples. Some of my hives sit in my orchard year 
around. We carefully spray insecticides/fungicides occasionally  
during the spring after petal fall and have not seen any loss of bees or 
honey crop in that yard as compared to other nearby beeyards. 

Other regional beekeepers who do pollination for apples in Mn/Wis 
also do not appear to have any problems either.

The co-exsistance of the proper use of ag chemicals and bees in 
overlapping areas is very common despite the distorted message in 
the article. 

The poplar tree/Sevin problem was the result of a relatively new move 
by the timber industry to grow hybridized poplars in Mn. The Mn DNR 
and International Paper Co were found at fault and a landmark court 
decision came forth that has had an impact on all checmical 
applicators in Mn. 

I thought the article took a real and serious problem 
(sevin/poplar/honeybee issue in Mn) and attempted to make some 
extrapolations that I for one just don't buy.

The most ironic point to me is that no mention was made of the 
chemicals that are dumped annually into beehives around the USA. 
 

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