>
> >MILLIONS of new acres are being planted. Most common places for corn is in
> the river bottoms above the aquifers.
>

This certainly appears to be the trend worldwide as basic food commodity
prices skyrocket.  Will certainly not be good for beekeepers.  The massive
amounts of pesticides of all types applied to corn are going to wind up in
the streams and rivers, affecting aquatic life.

 >I asked one farmer why he keeps planting corn year after year and he
replied

> corn is the money crop now and his seed/chemical seller says not rotating
> is
> getting to be commonplace and corn crops seem unaffected.


This short-term view is extremely foolhardy, and will soon lead to major
pesticide resistance by all corn pests, fungi, and weeds.

I'm currently enjoying the hospitality of Indiana beekeepers. Bob, I'm
curious about two reports of interest.

1.  Adult bee mortality *prior* to corn seed planting (this would be prior
to the dust issue due to planting).  Beekeepers suspect due to bees working
weeds prior to field prep.  I'm asking them to collect pollen and nectar
samples for analysis.  Have any other members observed the same?

2.  Adult bee mortality during combining operations.   This would be long
after tassling and after the crop had dried.  Am also asking them to collect
pollen samples at the time, which should pick up any environmental dust.
 Again, any members also observing the same?

Randy Oliver

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