> Randy wrote:
> > My main question to the List is whether all agree that
> > the feeding of spiked/unspiked pollen each week for
> > 9 weeks during a pollen dearth would be an appropriate
> > method of exposing colonies to the pesticide.
>
> There are oral effects of a pesticide.  There are also contact effects.
That is why there are lethal doses listed for both.   The pollen patty
vehicle gives an oral dose.  In the field the bees' bodies are coated with
the pollen before it ever gets to the pollen basket.  There are some contact
effects at that point.

I don't know the significance, but just point out that the patty vehicle
does not mimic the natural situation in this regard.  Feeding the
contaminated pollen as a dust in a feeder would more closely mimic.  But the
feeder would have to protect the pollen from sunlight, as the product
degrades in sunlight.  The patty is much simpler.

Paul wrote:

Bayer claims: "Clothianidin is completely degraded in soil under
all conceivable conditions."
http://www.bayercropscience.com/bcsweb/cropprotection.nsf/id/EN_Safety_of_clothianidin_to_bees

That statement is supposed to be reassuring????
First of all, the breakdown is a function of many factors (temperature, soil
type, ph, light.....    It is easy to conceive of MANY conditions that will
delay degradation.   But, it is an impossible assertion to disprove.  Given
an infinite length of time I am sure that the product will completely
degrade, even if its half life on Fugay soil is 19 years (at 20 degrees C, I
think the memo specified was the temperature used for the soil tests).  I
think a time frame is missing.

Do you know if the public can see the particular soil tests that were
submitted to EPA to support registration, Paul?

Stan

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