Bill wrote:

>In the August
>2000 issue of HiveLights, an article by Medhat Nasr (who will speak to
>the MSBA at the March Annual Meeting) detailed results of tests on
>Imidacloprid.

and from an old post of Allen's:

>I guess what really frightens me is that Cynthia Scott-Dupree, who is the
head of The Canadian Association of Apiculturalists (CAPA) has been working
closely with BAYER and just okayed the product -- according to the news
article below. I would have expected her to be our *defender* if there is
any doubt or risk and to wait for Canadian trials in Canadian conditions.
>
>"...But Scott-Dupree said research showed negligible levels of residue in
>France. She is waiting for results of tests done in Canada".

I was not at the Canadian Honey Council meeting in Moncton a few weeks ago,
but I understand from that Ms. Scott-Dupree presented there, and I also
understand that Bayer is beginning to hold her study up as a defense.

But, I am also told that she received $110,000 to do the study from Bayer
and the Canola growers.  Apparently the study involved counting dead bees on
sheets laid out in front of apiary in a treated canola field and apiary in a
control canola field.  Now my understanding is that imidacloprid at its
lower levels causes bee death or behavioural effects away from the hive so
this is not a good test method to my mind.  When questioned about other
tests, hive weight, hive population...(the Bayer web site says a variety of
tests were done), I am told that she said she was not at liberty to release
the results.

Now the above paragraph is complete hearsay.  I was not there.  But Medhat
Nasr was,  and perhaps other members of this list were there.  I would
appreciate some list discussion of this important research!

Regards,
Stan