Hello All,
Thanks to Peter for the post!

I observed bee problems in areas of seed treated corn as far back as 2004 in
the Midwest.

Although the study has touched on my concerns quite a bit of research is
still needed.

I have dropped most locations in areas of row crops or move in and then out.

I remember when a few on BEE-L were of the opinion (Paul C.) that bees did
not gather corn pollen or very little.

From the study:
"Maize pollen was frequently collected by foraging honey bees while it was
available. Maize pollen comprised over 50%of the pollen collected by bees,
by volume, in 10-20 samples"

Also of interest from the study were their experiments with gutation water.

Also the growing levels of neonics found in dandelions surrounding the
fields.

I have advised many Midwest beekeepers to move away from corn for years.
Those beekeepers always say they see better bees when they do.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see hives do poorly around large areas
of corn in
the Midwest and observe hives from the same winter holding yard do much
better in range country.  You do need  locations in both areas for the
problem to be easy to observe.

Hopefully research will continue to prove my hypothesis about hives and
large areas of corn in the Midwest.

I might add a warning for beekeepers in many southern states I have been
through lately. Vast areas of former range land is being plowed up and corn
is being planted with neonic treated corn seed.

The neonics are here to stay in my opinion so smart beekeepers need to learn
to live with the neonics.

bob

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