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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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Subject:
From:
Jerry J Bromenshenk <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Thu, 6 Dec 2001 09:15:12 -0700
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Hi:  I missed the original post about N. Dakota.  However, I have had some
long telephone conversations with commercials beekeepers in that state.
Somethings going wrong that they can't fix, and reportedly, contaminated
wax may be involved.  Biggest problems seems to be getting the regulatory
folks to take a good hard look.

If you tell the beekeeper to take the samples, they won't be able to use
the data in any effective way.  These things get into responsible party
questions (assuming its some chemical and not mites, etc), chain of custody
of samples, etc.

Different states vary in their willingness/ability to investigate these
problems. Some try to avoid them, some don't have the funds, and some
aggressively go after them.

Also, beekeepers have to play by the rules.  Time and again, we've seen
states not take action, because for every beekeeper who complains, others
won't file a report.  Why, usually because they don't like government
interference OR their colonies were not where they were supposed to be (for
those states) that register locations.


My point is -- I get lots of calls and reports, many of which are probably
real kills from one pesticide or another -- but getting an investigation
done properly and quickly can be a major problem.  And remember, by the
time the beekeeper sees an abnormal behavior or evidence of a kill, the
damage may have already been done, and the chemical residues mostly gone.

Seems like the U.S. needs a central clearing house for these complaints -
with guidelines, labs on notice, and appropriate contacts to ensure that
these problems are investigated.

There's a definite problem when state regulatory agencies recommend that
the beekeeper take samples in paper bags and toss them in the truck.

At the very least:

An independent (not associated with the beekeeper) person needs to take
samples
That person needs to be trained in sampling and evidence handling
All samples MUST be hard frozen as soon as possible.
The lab analyzing the samples MUST have a proven track record with bee and
pollen samples (we've seen many "EPA certified" labs, using GPL (good lab
practices) totally blow the analyses.  Bees are "fatty" and have chitinous
bodies, that makes them different from samples such as fish - harder to
properly process.

Some thoughts.

Jerry

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