Bill, you said:

"It (Regent) is on corn and so are the neonics but which is blamed?

It is also used on several crops that use commercial pollination like
cucumbers.

Sometimes we can get so fixated on a perceived villain that we never see
the real evil."

Very good observation.  We (beekeepers) aren't usually completely aware of what is going on around us as regards what farmers and home gardeners are putting out there.  Or the highway dept on thruways.  Or golf course owners.  Or anyone with a spray gun and some kind of pesticide or other -cide.  It's natural for us to find something that we know or suspect to be detrimental, and worry that issue into the ground, but really any chemical can potentially affect our bees and we have to keep that in mind.

How can we beekeepers find a way to know EVERYTHING about the application of chemical treatments within the flight range around our hives, including fungicides, pesticides, and herbicides (or other "-cides" I haven't heard of)?

Another question:  Do we need weed-free gardens?  (Are dandelions bad in cucumber or pumpkin patches?)  Is there enough reason to lobby against non-essential killing of insects and "weeds" in home yards or golf courses, etc?  Why should cosmetics matter more than the bees?

Christina

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