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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
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Wed, 20 Mar 2013 11:05:10 -0400
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We have been throwing "anecdotal evidence" around since the Ontario bee
kill was alluded to.

To quote wiki: "In all forms of anecdotal evidence, its reliability by
objective independent assessment may be in doubt".

The Ontario bee kill was not anecdotal evidence but data- bees died and
there was proof that they died. Any extrapolation of that data becomes not
so much anecdotal but more a guess (or a hypothisis, if you are a
scientist) until it is investigated, which it was since there was physical
evidence. But even after measurements that pointed to the neonics, the
conclusions were not that it was the neonics.That was recognized by those
who took samples and used the word "suggests" as they did not have enough
data to have 1+1=2. Jerry points this out.

The suggestion that every bit of beekeeping anecdotal evidence be
investigated leads one to the simple question of who pays?

That desire seems to suggest that there has not been enough study of the
neonics when the amount of study relating to bees appears to be well beyond
any of the pesticides that I know about. Add that the reaction by
government authorities has been to insure the safety of the neonics when
bees are involved, which also is well beyond anything most of us who have
been keeping bees for a long time remember. Then bees and beekeeping were
held with a concerted indifference, even with proof, such as Penncap M.

I like today's atmosphere, where bees are held in regard and government and
science is more responsive to our needs. I also am concerned that we keep
the discussion based on science and not emotion, propaganda and anecdotal
evidence. If we do not, we will be disregarded by all the other parties,
and it will be back to business as usual.

Bill Truesdell
Bath, Maine

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