Bob said
>Call Gene Brandi and say you know of a farmer with a 100 acres of

> imidacloprid treated melons needing pollination and then report to us his
> response.
>

Bob, you may have noticed that in the list of likely problems with neonics
that I replied to you a few days ago, that I listed melons.  The neonics
clearly appear to be a problem in vine crops.  I already knew that and
posted that fact.

However, this is the first time that you have mentioned vine crops that I
know of.  Vine crops are only a tiny use of neonics.  The vast majority are
used as seed dressing for corn and canola, which are the crops, along with
potatoes, that your posts have been focused upon (note that I also posted
that I'm aware of problems in potatoes).

So this information about Gene and Dave H. (with both of whom I have already
spoken with) has virtually nothing to do with all the broad claims that you
have been making.

>
> >some studies have said when the above products [neonicotinoids] are mixed
> with other chemical sprays the effects on bees can be increased 100 to a
> 1000 times.

>Would you be kind enough to provide us with the source for the figure that
> you cited above?
> >Clint Walker and a board member of the ABF which said the information was
> also talked about in a conference call.
>

Thank you Bob, but second hand hearsay (even from a beekeeper whom I greatly
respect, such as Clint) is not what I call a good enough source to post to
an informed discussion group.  Bandying about unsubstantiated numbers
without documentation of the source confuses the issue, and may well inject
totally false information into the discussion.  Such sort of posts calls
into question the veracity of any other information which the poster
submits.

Again, Bob, would you please take the time to track down some authentication
for those numbers that you cited, or please retract them.  I'm not saying
that they are wrong (although I suspect that they are), just that we would
like to know if they are really correct, as a 1000-fold synergy of the
toxicity of a neonicotinoid insecticide is a serious claim that we should be
discussing!

I'm really looking for reliable sources who can document demonstrable
problems with neonics in crops other than vine crops.  Bob, you make it
sound like you have a vast number of beekeeper sources for such
information.  I'd be happy to hear from them.

Randy Oliver

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