Peter Borst continues faithfully to bring to our attention, publications in 
the arena of pesticide interactions with bees, and I thank him for that.
It is a very contentious subject, which has resulted in many amongst us 
declaring a bias towards one side or the other in this debate. Indeed even 
the title of this thread, as presented by Peter, does just that.

I have watched this subject evolve over a long period of time, but until 
now, have remained essentially uncommitted, because I too have a background 
in science, and indeed a reverence for it. For me, the absence of definitive 
proof that these pesticides are causing major problems for the health and 
well being of our bees is not evidence of the opposite case. There are many 
other layers in the pesticide/bees interaction scenario which have yet to be 
fully investigated and scientifically determined. In truth all the evidence 
is not yet in, and probably won't be for quite some time to come, so it is 
far too early for the jury to retire and consider a final verdict.

However,  there is enough evidence for some very serious questions to be 
addressed by the authorities that regulate the uses of such chemicals in our 
societies. In the US it seems the EPA is under the public spotlight for the 
integrity of its decision to grant conditional approval for Clothianidin 
use, and some are calling for that question to be more broadly applied to 
the whole class of neonicotinoid pesticides, (of which there are many,) and 
halt their use. I would certainly endorse that.

I too am now very suspicious that, despite the references Peter has 
supplied, these chemicals are responsible for the underlying "failure to 
thrive" (FTT) syndrome which my bees have exhibited for a long time now, and 
I have become particularly suspicious of the fungicides as a factor in that 
problem.

In my defence I can say that I have not come to that conclusion without some 
supporting evidence, and anybody who is sufficiently interested can get that 
from me off-list. I haven't completely abandoned my faith in science! I must 
admit that the Frazier teams' work at Penn State has been pivotal in this 
process of transition for me. eg 
http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0009754

Coming to this conclusion is very important for me, since from here on, it 
becomes a factor in all my decisions regarding management of my bees and my 
business, so as to minimise my bees exposure to the agrichems which are in 
widespread use here too.

PeterD
In Western Australia, wishing I was in Buenos Aires 

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