Due to the strong buffering effect of their large colony size, honey bee
colonies can often take a pesticide exposure in stride. Solitary bees
can't.
Because of this, honey bees are likely not a good bioindicator of the
effects of pesticides upon ecosystems.
I have been strongly suggesting to my contacts at EPA, as well as to
beekeeping leadership, that we shift our focus with insecticide adverse
effects away from honey bees (managed livestock) to "pollinators" in
general.
--
Randy Oliver
Grass Valley, CA
www.ScientificBeekeeping.com
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