hello Randy,

> As Mike Griggs pointed out, changing a formulation requires a lot of hoops
> to jump through, and generally some degree of public transparency.

I am not so sure.

 Anyway,
> Bob, I did ask the "maker," or more specifically, Dr Dave Fischer whether
> this occurred.  To the best of his knowledge, imidacloprid is still
> labelled
> the same old ways.

It is as we have checked and as we would expect. If the chemical industry
has figured out what in its product could be killing or weakening hives and
quietly corrected the formula then it would explain to my circle the health
of bees in areas of the neonicotinoids.

I will again say what I have said many times before.

There is absolutely zero doubt imidacloprid at times kills and weakens bee
hives. No doubt at all in my circle of beeks minds .

The real test in our opinion will come in a couple months when bees move out
of Orange. Timek use has almost stopped but the orange industry in their
monthly magazine recommends Imadicloprid as the pesticide of choice. For the
last 5 or 6 years hives have come out of orange about half strength and too
weak to split. Many will build back over time but others will not. Even
average Orange crops have not been seen in years (reported to me by Florida
commercial beeks & the Florida inspectors).

I personally do not care about the past and only the future of beekeeping.
You can tell Bayer *if* a dosage change has quietly taken place end of
story. All beeks I have spoke with in the U.S. will quickly get off Bayer's
case if we feel imidacloprid in our opinion stops killing bees. We feel most
of us have lost a huge amount of money because of the neonicotinoids but
realize we will never have enough proof to get reimbursed for losses. No
lawsuit.

We have no "Axe to grind" but only are trying to survive in a tough business
environment.

Sincerely,
Bob Harrison
"makes his living from beekeeping"

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