Jerry B. said:
and a meeting between  beekeepers, growers,
> and Bayer Crop Science to coordinate in Fresno.

I might suggest you drop by a bookstore and pick up a copy of the new book
"A Spring Without Bees' by Michael Schacker.

The book is the type you and I enjoy Jerry. Michael has went around the
world gathering the facts about Imid & fipernil. Pay close attention to page
73 as the story of Henri Clement as told on page 73 is true and the same
story told to me by Henri.

Consider the chapter "America in the Dark" and the reported 50 million
dollars Bayer paid in contributions, lobbyists etc.in 2006.

We will notice if your standard of living suddenly improves dramatically.

I admire Michael Schacker ( close friend of his mentor Kirk Webster) for
having the courage to gather the information in a publication  (with
references) for those interested to read. Without a doubt he has felt the
Bayer heat.

I certainly did!

I did as I said and read both "Fruitless Fall " & "A Spring Without Bees". I
was not so impressed with "Fruitless Fall" as I firmly do not believe if we
all convert to small cell all our beekeeping problems will disappear. I
liked the start of the book and the very interesting "bee facts" presented
in "Fruitless Fall"

I do recommend "A Spring Without Bees" for commercial beeks and those which
are too lazy to research the published neonicotinoid material on their own.
Check with those in other areas of the world where systemic pesticides are
causing bee problems.

Much of the published information is in French so a friend translated for
me. Maryam H. has been to France and interviewed the French beekeepers &
researchers involved for her documentary "The Vanishing Bees". Maryam speaks
French. Maybe Maryam (member of BEE-L) will have read the book and will
comment on if in her opinion Michael S. has the facts correct?Maryam
translated some information for me after I agreed to let her and George
interview me.

Years ago:
I recommended "Mites of the Honey Bee" by Delaplane in ABJ for several
years(advertisements)
not because Delaplane was the author but because Delaplane went to the
trouble off gathering all the known information on tracheal and varroa mites
together in one publication for all to reference.
10 chapters on tracheal
mites alone. Of course the book was outdated when published because of the
varroa destructor discover by Denis Anderson ( Australia). I still come
across beekeepers which have not read the book.

Michael Schacker has done the same for the neonicotinoids. Quite a bit of
information for a beekeeper to absorb at a single setting but it is what it
is. Read and be informed as to what really happened in France.The slow climb
back even after certain pesticides are banned. The continued pressure from
chemical companies to change a formula slightly and flood the market with
more of the same.

I realize a couple people on BEE-L trashed both books after only reading the
Amazon promo. I imagine nether has yet read either. I feel after carefully
reading both that both are worth reading but "A Spring Without Bees" is a
must read for commercial beeks.

I am personally not interested in the opinion of people which have not read
the books as you really can't tell a book by its cover nor give a book
report without reading a book.

I would like to hear the opinion of all which
have read either book!

Especially my longtime friend Jerry B.!

Commercial beeks are going to get the neonicotinoids forced on us but we
have found some solutions which involve moving bees, refusing to pollinate
certain crops and providing pollen patties to our bees when in the area of
neonicotniod contaminated pollen.

France is so small many beeks had no choice but to deal with the
neonicotinoids year around across the fence from their bee yard. Migratory
beeks in the U.S. will see a different scenario in my opinion.
Hives will be doing great and then the bees will get a dose and a large
crash will occur

I will say that French beeks saw the only solution as a ban of the
pesticides which they in the end received. In the U.S. money has influence
and "justice" is usually the will of the stronger. The chemical giants claim
these chemicals are needed in order to feed the world. I would suggest the
insect pollinators of the world play a big part in feeding the world. There
are other choices than the neonicotinoids for controlling pests and new
controls can be found through research. Billions are being made on these
neonicotinoid products.


It has been almost a year since my ABJ article "The Neonicotinoids" More
questions than answers".

The heat has subsided and perhaps the beekeeping world is ready for an
update?

Best of luck at the conventions Jerry!

Look at the facts Jerry and not only the chemical company rhetoric. From my
research the facts presented by Michael Schacker are correct. With your
background perhaps you will see a solution to our current bee problems
caused by the neonicotinoids. PPB have been shown to cause problems in bees
in most of the research I have looked at. Even Bayer research.



bob

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