Thank you Charlie for answering ET's question so eloquently : ) Papers that claim to lay the blame for pollinator "decline" on neonics invariably get published and then spun into calls for action; ground based observations of reality (such as yours) aren't sexy enough to get attention. I've been in correspondence of late with the author of "Increasing neonicotinoid use and the declining butterfly fauna of lowland California," pointing out that they completely overlooked a major variable that far better correlates with butterfly decline in the region than does the minimal application of neonics (based upon actual pesticide use reports). -- Randy Oliver Grass Valley, CA www.ScientificBeekeeping.com *********************************************** 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