> you could explain one thing, however. Why would a beekeeper put bees downwind from a cornfield at planting time, since for five years now this has been a known problem? Whose responsibility would it be if I deliberately walked out in a firing range? 

The youtube video displays what I have observed for years now. I have had yards that did not recover. I have had yards during the drought years effected when the wind was right from a mile away.

To answer Pete's question. The commercial beekeepers were here FIRST! I suspect the location in the video has had bees on for many decades. Why a problem location now.  noeonics. Why is the problem not the problem of the person killing the bees? 

How is this for a different opinion Pete:
Lets pass a law no corn with neonics can be planted within two miles of a bee location (chuckle)

Here is another solution I think will make you chuckle?
create a government subsidy which pays beekeepers not to place hives near corn.( similar to the CRP program to pay farmers not to plant corn) 
(Having too much fun!)

Moving on:
The first time I saw bees hit with the neonics I had a hard time figuring out what I was looking at. The bees were all over the ground outside the hives like in the video. When we checked hives the bottom boards were the same and bees were simply falling off the frames. bees dying with fresh pollen in baskets.

My helpers and I were trying to get a grip on what we were seeing when Aaron smelled the dust. Almost burns your nose. The dust was coming from corn being planted in the Blackwater bottoms about 3/4 of a mile away. We were up on the bluffs yet the dust was coming in our direction.

When we drove down into the bottoms we saw the culprit. Its not (or was not then) the little farmer with the out dated planter but a huge monster tractor with the largest of planters. We tried to get the drivers attention but the sound of his stereo was too load. Aaron (my second in command) said sounded like "rock & roll". Aaron notices those things. Very observant beekeeper.

I approached the local John Deere dealer about the problem and they said (contrary to chemical company BS) the problem comes from the speed of planting. When the farmer sees a drifting dust cloud speed needs to be reduced and the cloud will reduce. 

Planter salesman blames the farmer. Farmer blames Bayer ( paid lawsuit over planter dust overseas) and Bayer blames the planter design. 

Every year is different it seems in the Midwest but the problem now is the sweet clover is starting to bloom so bees need to go on locations and corn planting is not done. In many areas beekeepers are feeding bees in holding yards while waiting for corn planting to finish. 

I would venture the opinion that the Minnesota beekeeper  a few years ago might have not noticed the problem but through information sharing beekeepers are paying attention. Sure when he saw the dead out front he would have suspected a pesticide kill. 

Those poor bees! Almost brings tears to my eyes thinking about the issue.

bob 

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