Thanks for Peter digging up the imidakloprid study from France. I was very
concerned about imidakloprid until that study. But when the beehives fed with
that neonicotinoid for a year did not have more problems than control hives in
same apiarys I changed my view.
I think we all agree that neonicotinoids are not totally friendly for bees. In
large amount they kill, in less they cause proven problems for bees in learning
and muscle problems etc.. Several studies have been referenced in discussions
here.
Misuse or problems end up in dead colonies like case in Germany with pneumatic
seeding and insecticide not attached well enough into seed. But as beekeepers
we are mainly concerned with simple question. Does the normal use of
neoicotinoids hurt our colonies so bad that we can see the negative effects or
dead hives. This far I have not seen much evidence on that. I would very much
like to see more studies like the one in Harvard. But done with amounts of
neonicotinnoids seen in the fields and with some controls and some groups 2x
to 10x field amounts.
I wonder why these tests are not done, as they seem quite easy and cheap?
Would also like to see more experiments done with all types of neonicotinoids
spiked to pollen that is fed to colonies.
Agree with Randy that there is no prove that Harvard bees died because of
treatment.
Ari Seppälä
Finland
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