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Date: | Tue, 5 Apr 2011 22:14:00 +0100 |
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For several years I have said that the biggest problem that bees face in the
UK is the weather. When the BBKA were campaigning for huge sums of money to
be found to conduct research into the 'huge', 'unsustainable' winter losses,
we were asked to supply speakers to many Women's Institutes so that they
could decide whether to support the campaign. I spoke to a number, but had
to present an honest assessment of the situation - and warned them that it
might not be what they were expecting to hear.
Yes, there were some heavy losses - but there have always been losses and
with some quite dramatic swings in numbers.
No, that did not herald the demise of the honey bee - beekeepers were more
than capable of making up the numbers each year, so the loss (much to their
surprise) was not cumulative.
Yes, it seemed sensible to conclude bees would be better off without some
pesticides.
It was clear that a good autumn with plenty of fresh pollen would, along
with timely varroa control, ensure a healthy population going into winter
and subsequent low winter losses. Conversely, a poor autumn could have
disastrous results.
Now it seems that this is being confirmed by our National Bee Unit - UK bees
are doing quite well:
http://www.channel4.com/news/bee-decline-not-caused-by-pesticides
On the pesticides we had this:
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/study-reveals-how-bees-reject-toxic-pesticides-2262451.html
But at the same time:
New information has come out about how LOW DOSE neonicotoinoids effect
insect grooming behaviour, which then results in death of the insect. Bayer
actually advertises this in their own product literature for their biggest
selling neonicotinoid, imidacloprid (of course, all neonics are systemic and
affect the nervous system of the insect). Here is the leaflet:
http://www.agrofog.com/pdf/leaflet19.pdf
Does anyone else have a headache?
Best wishes
Peter
52.194546N, -1.673618W
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