On Randys site was a link to the article that settles in my head the hardest
http://pollinatorstewardship.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/2015-Assessing-Pesticide-Risks-to-Honey-Bees.pdf
This fine article should be a must read. It well documents the history and the problems in a very straightforward non nonsense manner in which May is very good at.
“121 different pesticides and metabolites within...wax,
pollen, bee and associated hive samples...Almost all
comb and foundation wax samples (98%) were contaminated...-
with an average of 6 pesticide detections per sample and a high
of 39”.
37 Essentially every type of agrochemical could be
detected in hivesherbicides, fungicides, and insecticides
and, among insecticides, almost every structural class was
represented among the residues (chiefly organophosphates,
cyclodienes, pyrethroids, and organochlorines). Neonicotinoids,
however, were not frequently detected.
For me, this paragraph, is/ and remains a great factual summary. This one is quoted from Mays work, but is essential the same as the results published several years ago that showed we have a lot of pesticides, most of which are of the old school classes. For those of us here in the Midwest, Organophoshates, pyrethroids and organochorines, are huge problems that have faded deeply into the background. While neonics are of course always an issue, exposure for us in the region has dropped by a level that’s impossible to quantify.
This is not to say that other areas such as spraying of ornamentals, or potatoes or other uses should not be questioned and monitored, just that here in the corn belt, seed coatings have been quite a blessing to all native pollinators.
Mays work is hardly a endorsement of Neonics though, and you need to read it for yourself, as she has some great points to ponder in the big picture.
Her comments on discrimination and forced induction of toxins is extremely accurate. Earlier this week I mentioned some previous research work, that had some very interesting information that was showing that it seemed that bees were intentionally avoiding some pesticides, and attracted to others(pyrethroids) unfortunately I was informed they did not intend to pursue that anymore.
Take the time and read this one.
Charles
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