Hi Randy and All > Chlorpyrifos was the most common ag pesticide found, just below > the frequency of beekeeper applied miticides. The high level > for chlorpyrifos was 890 ppb. This something that puzzled me. The hives tested by Penn State had alarming levels of the two miticides, fluvalinate and coumaphos. The mean level of fluvalinate in wax was recorded as about half of the LD50, even though US beekeepers had apparently moved on from that particular pesticide some years before. The lowish levels and low frequencies of all but one other pesticide were no doubt mostly from farm operations. However chlorpyriphos was up there with the miticides. Why? This report, on p8, reveals that chlorpyriphos is used around and even on hives to control fire ants: http://gallus.tamu.edu/library/extpublications/B-1536.PDF So is that it, all three of the big contaminants were put there by the beekeepers? Happy to be corrected by those who know ... all the best Gavin *********************************************** 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 Guidelines for posting to BEE-L can be found at: http://honeybeeworld.com/bee-l/guidelines.htm