This is another example of people taking an incident and blowing it our of proportion. Two things are being ignored.

One, that the operators sprayed flowers in bloom, which is a label violation. This has nothing to do with neonics per se, no insectide can be safely sprayed on flowers in bloom! This practice is illegal and stupid. 

Second, there is plenty of evidence that certain species of Tilia are highly toxic to bumblebees. Doesn't anyone do their homework? 

> Flowers of Tilia cordata and Tilia tomentosa are regarded as nutritionally very attractive for bees (Jabłoński et al., 2000; Demianowicz, 1979). Linden trees of these species are often planted in urban areas of Central Europe. The other characteristic that differentiates the attractiveness of these linden species are the toxic properties of the nectar of Tilia tomentosa (Crane, 1977; Dreyer and Dreyer, 2001; Sikora, 2002) and its hybrids with Tilia cordata (e.g. Fellenberg and Wolf, 1991). More frequent intoxications were observed among bumblebees than among specimens of Apis mellifera. It was found that the mechanism of intoxication consists in blocking the phosphorylation of glucose by mannose (contained in nectar, apart from other monosaccharides) in the process of glycolysis. Since bees and wasps do not have phosphomannose isomerase (enzyme), they cannot metabolize mannose. Lavish consumption of Tilia tomentosa nectar leads to lethal intoxication of an organism (M a d e l , 1977). Toxic properties of Tilia tomentosa nectar were nearly insignificant for Apis mellifera and most evident for bumblebees.

Pawlikowski, T. (2010). Pollination activity of bees (Apoidea: Apiformes) visiting the flowers of Tilia cordata Mill. and Tilia tomentosa Moench in an urban environment. Journal of Apicultural Science, 54(2), 73-79.

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