Peter said
"Much lip service has been given to "saving the bees" in this country, but action has not followed the talk."

We should reduce our use of hive chemicals to fight what may be an environmental chemical induced problem in the first place. The call for a ban on ALL neonicitinoids  (like the Avaaz petition) looks more and more attractive to me. As beekeepers our primary concern should be the bees , not the growers whom the bees serve. If all of the neoncitinoids were to disappear it would remove all doubt about the degree to which they are contributing to possible shortened bee lifetime, decreased immune function, decreased cognitive abilities, lack of resistence to nosema etc. etc. It would then be the growers job to figure out how to deal with THEIR pests and preditors without killing the pollinators. To reduce catastrophic food supply impact such a ban could be phased in gradually- either on a time basis or a geographic basis- or both.

Call EPA Head Administrator Lisa Jackson at her of  office phone number, 202-, 564-4700, and urge a phased withdrawal of neonicitinoid use.
                                                           Ernie Huber

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