Regarding pollen samples from CCD hives, Bob indicated that a pesticide  
report was soon to be released and he also said: "Many pesticides  was  what I was 
told.  *If* fact then pesticide issues might move from number  four on their 
list to number one!"
 
I'm afraid the last statement is speculation.  I've not seen the  detailed 
report from PSU, but I did receive a summary some weeks  ago.  As I remember, a 
variety of pesticide residues were found in CCD  pollen samples.
 
That's exactly what should have been seen.  Every broad spectrum  pesticide 
environmental sampling program for bees and pollen that I have seen  (or 
conducted) since the 1960s has revealed traces of many pesticides in  virtually all 
bee and pollen samples.  And, its not just pesticides.   For example, we've 
never found a bee sample that did not contain traces of PCBs  - anywhere in the 
U.S., over 20+ years.
 
If CCD hives had not displayed a variety of pesticide residues,  that would 
have been a clear indication that the lab study lacked appropriate  sensitivity 
for these chemicals of interest.  So, the encouraging news is  that the lab 
reportedly did find what one would expect it to find - traces  of lots of 
pesticides in pollen samples.
 
Pesticides leave residues, and many of pesticides are  commonly used - from 
wide-spread crop applications to the little garden on  the corner.  In the 
1980s, we found that in urban areas, the more  affluent the neighborhood, the 
wider the diversity and the higher the  concentrations of pesticides - presumably 
because rich folks can hire lawn and  garden firms to spray everything on a 
regular and frequent basis.
 
What I'm interested in seeing in the final pesticide report will  be the 
concentrations of residues in pollen for each identified pesticide, and  whether 
there is a common denominator among CCD colonies - i.e., same  pesticide in all 
CCD samples.  Also, was there any relationship between  severity of observed 
CCD and the types/concentrations of pesticides seen.
 
With pesticides, dose and duration of dose is important, not simply  
presence.  So, it will remain to be seen whether pesticides move up on the  list from 
number 4 to number 1 as Bob predicts -- and I might add, I don't  think that 
the CCD Working Group has necessarily assigned a priority  order to the list of 
4 possible CCD causes - that's something others are  reading into the USDA 
action plans, discussions.
 
Jerry




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