Hello Al & All,
Al wrote:
 A green manure would take some harm out of the way of the bees but it
 would take  away 4/5 of our honey crop with it.
I missunderstood your post. I thought you only had problems with Clover in
the year the Clover followed potatoes which had had Imidacloprid used. Bees
do not work crown vetch as used in roadside plantings by the road department
in our area and makes a excellent green manure crop. The state uses the
crown vetch because the seed is cheap. I am told the crown vetch is worked
by the bees in Iowa so the crown vetch would have to be experimented with.
Hairy Vetch is worked by the bees in our area.
 Not working clover here would remove  the biggest financial insentive to
keep bees on PEI.
I am finding it hard to find any *financial insentive*  to beekeeping these
days. I officially retired in the spring of 1998.

  I cringe to think of the possibility of Imidacloprid =
 going into not only my drinking water but the water I need to make sugar
 syrup for the bees.  Maybe my worries are premature.  Maybe there will
 be no bees alive to feed.
The U.S. water supply is of concern to us all.

 Beekeepers in Missouri should be on the lookout for Imidacloprid
 poisoning  as it is used on many crops.  I'm not sure just what crops are
grown in  your  area but watch out if there is corn (both sweet and field),
sugar beets,  millet, rice, cereals, vegetables, sunflowers, and more.
Remember, it's  not  necessarily on the crop that's treated that problems
will arise with the  bees. It is also the succeeding crops. It's not known
how many years   after a treatment the problem could  persist.
Many beekeeper have asked me for advice on the above subject. Here is my
advice and you can take the advice or consider the source.
Hobby beekeepers can always order packages and keep bees and try to enjoy
the hobby and live with the problems. Commercial beekeepers will have to
relocate if the EPA does not remove Imidacloprid from the market. I have got
enough real problems to solve everyday to worry about problems which are not
problems yet. I personally have not seen any Imidacloprid damage yet in my
yards and I know Goucho is in use in our area. I have been in contact with
the *powers that be* in our area about Imidacloprid with no help. I have
been hung up on. Passed to over four different government offices. Told to
call back. Told I would be called back. The situation remains the same.
Without proof of damage Imidacloprid remains on the market. I will scream
louder when I see damage. I personally know of no other beekeeper in our
area which has tried to voice his fears to Missouri state people like I
have. Many beekeepers are seeing huge losses in Missouri this spring. I have
not. Maybe some of the loss is do to Imidacloprid and I have only been
lucky.
Bob