On 27/02/2014 12:57 AM, Little Wolf Apiaries -our bees get all the 
attraction wrote:


> Of note: "*On the basis of information available to it, the APVMA is
> currently of the view that the introduction of the neonicotinoids has led
> to an overall reduction in the risks to the agricultural environment from
> the application of insecticides. This view is also balanced with the advice
> that Australian honeybee populations are not in decline, despite the
> increased use of this group of insecticides in agriculture and horticulture
> since the mid-1990s*."

In Australia beekeepers are normally only likely to be exposed to 
insecticides for around six weeks in the spring, if at all.  At this 
time they may be on agricultural land for build up.  By agricultural 
land I mean cropping land as opposed to grazing land.

Last spring for instance I had some bees on ag land for blueberry 
pollination.  This bloke does not spray whilst I am there.  This also 
doubles as build up.  At the same time the  rest of my bees were on 
grazing land for build up, and this year for honey on the same sites.

So typically an Oz beekeeper may or may not spend a few weeks on country 
that may possibly use sprays.  Then they will spend the rest of the year 
on either grazing land (with tree flora) or in forests or national parks.

This is not to say that there have never been insecticide kills of 
course, only that they tend to be rare at this time.

Geoff Manning

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