Just got back from one of the big bee conferences,  as always there was great research presented and some interesting trends.  Unfortunately I go as an exhibitor,  so I don't get to attend all the lectures  but always manage to hit  quite a few.

A couple of interesting tidbits that at times address things we talk about here.

I know at one point in the past we wondered what effect drought had on neonics uptake.  One researcher  was trying to link nosema to drought  Found that although nosema was not related,  drought do in fact increase the residual levels of Neonics  in pollen and nectar.   Still below threshold levels,  but it seems in the test on sunflowers it almost doubled the levels.  Quite valuable insight  even with the failure to link nosema, it was a great piece of work.

I noticed a trend among researchers to actually standardized the "risk quotient" up to and including a website with how to calculate it.  Quite cool in my mind that we are so quickly trying to set a standard for test, and that its more inclusive than the LD50 for individual items.


Doug Sponsler  Gave another great presentation.  His goal  is to try to link the insane differences between lab results and field studies and attempting to define the correlations.  I can't tell you how great it is in my mind to see the researchers understanding the lab is not the real world  and trying to pull the two together.  This young man has done some great work already and continues to impress.



2 other great pieces of work on pesticides showing that they are not as big an issue as some would have you believe.  It was really great to see research that was realistic,  and not bent on destruction of Bayer or farming in general.   While I may not have liked some of the results,  the methods and answers were very positive and helpful.


One super super super, scary item.  Research showing the number of beekeepers who control mites vs the average hive levels.  What was scary  is that using the math provided of a average mite test level of 8* the number of hives controlled,  it predicts a 60% loss for winter  just on mites alone.  It tells us that these huge winter losses are still the dang Varro  and the inability to both admit and control it.  This is scary as heck to me as we are going to get more stories of how pesticides and farming are killing of bees,  when the data shows pretty clearly we do not have our ducks in a row yet.
Shame on us.




One sad yet funny point 
During one of the board meetings it was motioned by a large beekeeper that we should  probably join in the lawsuit to ban another pesticide due to its over use proactively.  The motion carried
Not 20 minutes later there was a motion to ask for exemption from rules that would make us get a vet to prescribe antibiotics for our bees.  One honey packer stood up and made the comments that they are becoming a problem and we are not using them properly  but prophacticly.  The same aforementioned beekeepers son  stood up and argued  "we cant wait for an outbreak,  we have to treat beforehand"  the opposite side of the argument on pesticides/

We want the EPA to ban anything that harms bees,  but when they want to make rules to limit antibiotics we want an exemption.  From the same family.  Both motions passed.  Very sad.

Charles

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