From: Griggs Mike [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
Sent: Friday, January 23, 2009 7:57 AM
Subject: Re: Bayer witch-hunt?
 
 It is interesting to note this schism here is mostly a 
misunderstanding as most entomologists start their career spending 
years studying insects, learning their habits, taking their pictures, 
following them around on hands & knees however,  most end up getting  
hired to research methods to kill them.  What irony.   Regardless, 
many still maintain a level of respect & awe for insects, even if they 
are not beekeepers.  What is Bob Dillans song  " everyone needs  to 
serve somebody".  Tis true & after a bit of service--they gain 
allegiance.

I'm a beekeeper but also am an entomologist.  I can see both sides of 
the coin & know people on both sides.  Chemical company employees vs 
bug huggers. Do you know how many innocent insects are needlessly 
slaughtered on our nations hiways?  Listen, If you are a commercial 
orchardist who is trying to protect their trees from an invasive 
insect that vectors a disease. which if detected will cause regulators 
to de-send upon your property & thrash & burn all potentially 
infected  trees destroying any hint of profit,   You too may use tools 
available to protect this business.  Sounds a lot like commercial 
beekeeper to me.  Chemicals are the only cost effective method of 
dealing with pests.  Like Fluvalinate or fumagillin!

So getting back to the entomologist.  Many of the people working for 
pesticide companies are good folks, trained in the same arena as our 
industry scientists and only trying to come up with tools to help 
businesses with pest problems.  The problem is the negative effect on 
all insects including bees.  Work great on pests but also tend to 
affect non target s.   Been that way since early 1900's.  Beekeepers 
have had problems with insecticides but also have become as reliant as 
growers on them.

  Fortunately or unfortunately insecticide chemistry is becoming very 
much more complex.  While becoming safer to the environment and more 
specific to the target the mode of action is becoming more subtle in 
effect.  This also has tracked our ability to monitor lesser & lessor 
affects such that we are now concerned with subtle effects caused by 
orders of magnitude less product.  On one hand it is a good thing we 
are able to discern the effects of parts per billion on the other its 
a curse --we suddenly become paranoid of concentrations our fathers 
would laugh at.  My grandfather told me of using his arm to mix tanks 
of insecticide with his arm by rolling up his sleeve.  Probably was 
Carbamates or organophosphates on the farm.

So to end--Ya get more flies to Honey than Vinegar--I believe we need 
to work with & Bayer--some trust may go a long way-- If these 
scientists find problems with this chemistry they will do the right 
thing and report to their superiors.  We need them as allies not foes!

Just my opinion.  I've certainly used lots of chems--But in my apiary 
I'm choosing to not use them!!!

Mike Griggs

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