>> Organosiloxane surfactants, the most novel class of non-ionic 
surfactants in agrochemical formulations, have been widely used around 
hives or in honey bee foraging areas as pesticide spray adjuvants.
<snip>
 >> This information will allow for the first time development of an 
analytical method to quantify organosiloxane residues in bees and other 
hive samples and environmental matrices.

Now, this will be most interesting, and may reveal more ingredients of 
the chemical soup in our hives.   I wonder what kind of interactions are 
possible?

We have been speculating about the question of so-called inert 
ingredients for years.  It has been reported here, for example, that two 
different brands of a fungicide had differing toxicities to bees.  We 
have wondered who decides than an ingredient is indeed inert -- 
especially if it is an important part of the formulation and contributes 
to efficacy.   While water is a carrier, the other components obviously 
-- to me at least -- are active in some fashion and should be considered 
alone and in combination.

While a perceived  overly-accepting approach to new pesticides by the 
regulators and approval of new products on the basis of non-public 
research selectively supplied by applicants  has been widely criticized, 
the apparent free pass given to so-called inert ingredients may be the 
real worry.

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