>all the info concerning what's sprayed on corn or coated on the seeds does 
>not mean jack if the
bees don't visit corn.

Brian in some years we pull frames full of corn pollen from hives. Myself 
and others have had pallets full of deeps of corn pollen. Doug Gabbert 
(Harlen, Iowa) on a visit to buy deeps showed me box after box of frames 
with corn pollen.

However as Brian points out (and also my opinion) the bees prefer other 
sources of pollen.  Of all livestock feeds corn has the least protein. Hell 
properly cut fescue hay can many times have a greater protein value than 
corn!

The year we had the most problems was the last year of the two year drought. 
Almost no fall flowers and corn was about the only pollen source. In fall 
deadouts and winter deadouts we found plenty of corn pollen. When bees were 
placed on the comb the bees dwindled until fresh pollen was avalable.

>The data showed hardly any corn pollen.

I agree in a normal year with better sources of pollen available to the 
bees.

> In good seasons we can produce 5 supers of honey on average hives over a
period from the end of June into early Sept, meaning we have a wealth of 
nectar and pollen
sources, so our bees could presumably could care less about corn.

Corn pollen was suspect when drought happened in the Dakotas. You were lucky 
and missed the drought a few years ago I have been told and in fact have had 
(unlike in the Dakotas) normal crops for the last few years.

>My point is we have no crisis or mystery up here here in the MIDDLE OF CORN 
>COUNTRY so this
whole speculation about Neonictinoids, corn  and people losing bees has 
nothing to do with reality
IMO.

If you want to see corn come to Nebraska & Missouri.

 Like I said in a earlier post I found farms which have planted imidacloprid 
treated seed in the SAME field for the last 8 years. With the blessing of 
the seed seller!

Comments ?

Is there even a slight possibility of imidacloprid buildup in the soil?

How about after another 8 years in the same field?

No comment?

I can tell you from potatoes and imidacloprid that imidacloprid builds in 
the soil ( archives). Which would make it reasonable to assume that a larger 
dose in the soil would made a larger dose in the pollen.

Why in the heck would it not?

Systemic pesticides only need tossed on the ground around the plant to work. 
I wonder what researchers will find when they double dose with 
neonicotinoids? Twice the neonicotinoids in the pollen in my opinion?

bob 

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