Hi all

* I received a copy of this today:

> The American Beekeeping Federation and the American Honey Producers Association are submitting a letter to the EPA for glyphosate reregistration and asked me belatedly to write a letter as someone engaged in pollinator research to also write a letter. The attached letter is the result and it comes at a late date that precludes a consensus approach or group wide acceptance. James L. Frazier, Professor Emeritus, Penn State University

* Excerpt from the letter:

> Glyphosate can also have direct effects on bees by contaminating surface waters (8,9,10,11) needed by active colonies as well as direct effects on individual bees.  These sublethal effects can alter the social dynamics within a colony, including reducing foraging efficiency of the foraging force, which can lead to cascading effects on colony demographic structure.  

* These are the references cited:

8. USGS, Environmental Health-Toxic Substances, “Common Weed Killer is Widespread in the Environment,” http://toxics.usgs.gov/highlights/2014-04-23-glyphosate_2014.html

9. Toccalino, P.L. Robert J. Gilliom, Bruce D. Lindsey, and Michael G. Rupert. 2014.
Pesticides in Groundwater of the United States: Decadal-Scale Changes, 1993–2011
DOI: 10.1111/gwat.12176

10. http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/ Gives distribution and quantities of pesticide in US waters through 2011.

11. Assessment of the Impacts of Systemic Pesticides on Biodiversity and Ecosystems. 2015. www.tfsp.info/assets/WIA_2015.pdf

* I don't know if anyone but me chases down the references, but I did. 

The first one talks about glyphosate and water but never mentions bees. It does say: "Glyphosate by itself is no more than slightly toxic to birds, fish, and aquatic invertebrates." 

The second reference never mentions wildlife or pollinators but does say: "Pesticide concentrations seldom exceeded human health benchmarks in groundwater."

The third, no mention of glyphosate or bees at all, it "examines the potential for pesticides to have adverse effects on human health, aquatic life, and fish eating wildlife."

The last, which runs 175 pages, doesn't really talk about herbicides much, it mostly about insecticides. It does say: "herbicides reduce the abundance of host and nectar plants." 

• I am sorry, but I think it's odd that the letter lists 50 references, but doesn't really support the statement "Glyphosate can also have direct effects on bees by contaminating surface waters."

Pete B

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