In "The Vanishing of the Bees" the French beekeeper said that the problems
started in 1994. From wikipedia:

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

> *Regent* is a trademark <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trademark> for a
> broad spectrum systemic insecticide<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insecticide>containing the active ingredient
> fipronil <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fipronil>. Fipronil is an
> insecticide discovered and developed by Rhône-Poulenc between 1985-87. It
> was placed on the market in 1993. Regent's rights have been purchased by
> BASF <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BASF>. It acts by contact and stomach
> action on the insect. Fipronil is marketed in many developed and developing
> countries.
>
> Regent has contact activity on both chewing and sucking insects<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insect>and controls
> Coleoptera <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beetle>, Lepidoptera<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lepidoptera>,
> Diptera <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diptera>, Homoptera<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homoptera>,
> Isoptera <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isoptera>, and Thysanoptera<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thysanoptera>.
> It is registered on rice <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rice> (seed<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seed>treatment), and
> corn <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maize> (soil treatment), with
> potential uses on cotton <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotton>, sweet
> potato <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweet_potato>, bulb onion<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onion>and
> potato <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potato>. It is being studied for use
> against lygus bug <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lygus_bug> on cotton<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotton>and
> thrips <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thrip> in vegetables<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegetable>
> .
>
> Regent is effective against a variety of pests, but there are increasing
> concerns about its environmental and human health effects. Its use has
> become problematic in France <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France>, where
> it has been proven responsible for the drop in bee<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bee>population, after bees became disoriented and unable to return to their
> hives.
>
> Maurice Mary, vice-president of the National Union of French Beekeepers
> (UNAF) was quoted as saying, "It's enough for the insect to alight on the
> plant to receive a dose of neurotoxicity. All the auxiliary fauna is
> decimated."
>
So we seem to have a disagreement here between the French beekeepers in the
film and the VP of French beekeepers.

That is understandable, especially since both pesticides came into the
system at the same time.

Which one is it? Imid or Regent. Imid is a seed treatment while Regent can
be soil pickup systemic, sprayed on the plant, granular, and all the other
bee killing delivery methods.

Personally, I think we have been barking up the wrong tree. Two pesticides
on the market at the same time. One is even more deadly to bees than the
other. One was taken off the market and nothing happened.The other was
taken off the market and bees came back.

My objection always has been that emotion not replace reason. show me that
the neonics are the problem, and I will sign the petition. Right now I
think we have been barking up the wrong tree. Regent seems a much more
likely candidate as the major bee killer.

It is on corn and so are the neonics but which is blamed?

It is also used on several crops that use commercial pollination like
cucumbers.

Sometimes we can get so fixated on a perceived villain that we never see
the real evil.

Bill Truesdell

Bath, Maine

             ***********************************************
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