>I am sorry but this is an utter cop out. Beekeepers have no excuse for
not knowing what to do, and they have no reason to be wary of reporting. In fact, as we have said repeatedly: the ONLY WAY this issue is ever
going to get resolved is if there are proven documented cases. Without
that, it's all innuendo.<
I am not trying to be confrontational, but I have been a beekeeper for 10 years (yes, I know that isn't very long, I knew a lot more my third year than I do now), but I do NOT know what to do to confirm a pesticide kill. It appears some other countries have options, but I cannot find a US protocol.
What should I do if suspect a pesticide kill? Where can I send samples to confirm pesticide exposure and identify the agent involved? What will it cost me? ARS Beltsville tests for diseases and parasites. Who tests for pesticides?
In a recent post (4/20/12) I posted a link to media coverage of one of the Ohio bee kills referenced in this "Catch the Buzz". I specifically asked "are there any US labs where beekeepers can send samples of suspected
pesticide kills to determine if and what agent the bees were exposed
to?" The responses (IMO) focused on flaws in the media coverage rather than on the cause or how to confirm cause of the kill. Led me to believe there were no answers to my questions.
I have searched the archives of the BEE-L, beesource, various Yahoo groups, etc., searched the ABF, EAS, National Honey Board sites, and used multiple Web search engines, searched USDA, EPA, and state equivalents, all with no success. I repeat: How does a beekeeper confirm a pesticide kill in the US? If someone on the list knows, please post... or email me privately if you prefer.
I read Bob's posts re his probable pesticide kills today, and unless I'm misinterpreting, apparently he has no agency to investigate, confirm, or otherwise provide "proven documented cases". If commercial beekeepers do not have a place/process/protocol for pesticide kill confirmation--who does?
Articles like this concern me. I know from first person discussions with other beekeepers that there is a real increase in colony loss with characteristics of pesticide exposure (possibly with my own hives, but unconfirmed, so in my mind, unknown cause). But even this "Catch the Buzz" appears as innuendo, or at best, anecdotal. I did not see a single reference to a "confirmed" kill caused by 'cide contaminated talc, or planting, or even bees foraging on seed.
What I read is: (a) Study says corn planting dust contains lethal talc (b) corn is being planted where bee kills have occurred, so a+b must equal (c) corn planting dust killed the bees. This is faulty logic. It is possible (or even probable), but not proven--unless the bees were analyzed for exposure to the agent (not reported in the article).
Again, I hope this is not construed as confrontational. I have a personal stake in this, and try to be "informed'. I am a farmer and beekeeper, and while I currently do livestock and not row crops, I do rent some of my land for row crops. My home apiary borders over 500 acres currently being planted in (mostly) clothianidin treated corn seed. I have not had any issues in the past that I could attribute to corn (usually attributed to bad beekeeping!). As I was reading the "Catch the Buzz" and then Bob's post, I was watching the last of the corn being planted about 50 feet from my bee yard. I went out and walked behind the planter for a while...very little (almost no) dust, didn't smell anything other than freshly broken dirt. Walked back to the bees...full pollen baskets, all looks 'normal'. Locust about done, white clover bloom about to explode in the field borders.
I am planning to host our county 4-H beekeepers and demo splits/nuc increase in a few days...if it turns out to be a deadout demo--what do I do? I am not "wary" of reporting, I am "Where-y" and even "How-y"!
Dan O'Callaghan
Irish Hill Farm
Xenia, OH
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