>
> >Like why don't they do simple things like systematically walking
> through fields of canola with a sweep net that were grown by farmers
> who used coated vs uncoated seed to compare the abundance and diversity
> of the pollinating insects that are captured?
>

Although I appreciate all the lab research and agree with Brian that we
should focus on other off-target effects, I tend to put the most credence
in "ground truthing" such as Paul suggests.  If there are indeed healthy
populations of pollinators on the weeds in the field margins, that speaks
an undeniable truth.

Re the recent study (Rundlof) which found a negative effect upon bumblebees
and Osmia, I was surprised by the measured levels of clothianidin in the
pollen and nectar, which were about 5x as high as normally measured in the
U.S. or Canada.

It appears that Europe allowed seed treatment of canola at 2.5x the maximum
rate allowed in North America.  There seems to be a difference between the
rates allowed for fall or spring planting (higher rate for fall).  But the
author tells me that they used the allowed rate for spring planting.  I'm
still in the process of getting to the bottom of it.
-- 
Randy Oliver
Grass Valley, CA
www.ScientificBeekeeping.com

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