From Doug McRory's email newsletter.



 EPA Acts to Protect Bees

EPA has received a number of inquiries about recent bee deaths in
Germany associated with the use of the pesticide clothianidin and
whether this incident might be related to Colony Collapse Disorder
(CCD).  Based on discussions with German authorities, EPA believes this
incident is not related to CCD.  Although pesticide exposure is one of
four theoretical factors associated with CCD that the United States
Department of Agriculture is researching, the facts in this case are not
consistent with what is known about CCD.  CCD is characterized by a
relatively rapid decline in the adult bee population of a hive;
typically only the queen, a few nurse bees and brood remain in the
CCD-affected hive.  Reported incidents of CCD have detected few if any
dead adult bees.  The recent incident in Germany, however, was
associated with large numbers of dead adult bees in and around the
hives.  Additionally, clothianidin residues were detected in the dead
bees and their hives. 

According to German authorities, the May 2008 incident resulted from
inadvertent exposure of the bees to clothianidin, an insecticide used
for corn seed treatment, resulting from a combination of factors.  These
factors include the specific formulation of the pesticide used, weather
conditions and type of application equipment:

--The formulation of the pesticide clothianidin used to protect seed
corn from corn root worm did not include a polymer seed coating known as
a "sticker."  This coating makes the pesticide product stick to the
seed.  Although the formulation used in the US also does not require a
"sticker" on corn seed, it is typical practice to use "stickers" on corn
seed in the US.

--Normally, corn is planted before canola blooms and attracts bees.
Because early, heavy rains delayed the corn planting in Germany, the
seeds were sown later than usual when nearby canola crops were in bloom
and bees were present.

--A particular type of air-driven equipment used to sow the seeds
apparently blew clothianidin-laden dust off the seeds and into the air
as the seeds were ejected from the machine and into the ground.

--Finally, dry and windy conditions at the time of planting blew the
dust into the neighboring canola fields that were in bloom and where
honey bees were foraging.

Together, these factors helped create the circumstances under which this
incident occurred.

While this incident is not related to CCD, EPA is examining its
practices with respect to label requirements for seed treatment
pesticides and will revise them as necessary to prevent the types of
exposure that led to the bee deaths.   Our initial focus will be on seed
treatment pesticides that we know are toxic to bees and whether the use
of stickers or coatings should be required.  In many situations, the use
of pesticide-treated seeds results in less human and environmental
exposure than would the use of the pesticide later, after the crop is
growing.  We want to make sure that seed treatment is done according to
best practices that minimize human and environmental exposure.
 

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