Hi all My chief objection to this and some other studies is that they seem to be just trying to get some of the money that is being spent on "saving the bees" and -- they ignore most of what has already been done. They all start out with some declaration of the "importance of bees to humankind" and go on to spend the money on their project in a woefully ignorant manner, reinventing the wheel, the tire, and the headlights. For example, the following paragraph raises the flag about bee importance but at least he acknowledges that he isn't the first person to think of looking at pesticides killing bees: QUOTED Honey bees provide important pollination services to crops and wild plants. The agricultural use of systemic insecticides, such as neonicotinoids, may harm bees through their presence in pollen and nectar, which bees consume. Many studies have tested the effects on honey bees of imidacloprid, a neonicotinoid, but a clear picture of the risk it poses to bees has not previously emerged, because investigations are methodologically varied and inconsistent in outcome. In a meta-analysis of fourteen published studies of the effects of imidacloprid on honey bees under laboratory and semi-field conditions ... These findings raise renewed concern about the impact on honey bees of dietary imidacloprid, but because questions remain over the environmental relevance of predominantly laboratory-based results, I identify targets for research and provide procedural recommendations for future studies. FROM: "A meta-analysis of experiments testing the effects of a neonicotinoid insecticide (imidacloprid) on honey bees." James E. Cresswell [Should be required reading for anyone interested in getting at the facts] *********************************************** The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html Guidelines for posting to BEE-L can be found at: http://honeybeeworld.com/bee-l/guidelines.htm