[Pollinator] Fwd: [New post] Honeybees and Corn 2016

[Stephanie Parreira]

This is a highly over-simplified opinion about the neonicotinoid problem. I
would have further questions for the above person, such as, are there
weather differences between the region where the colonies died and the
place your colonies are (windy conditions can blow neonic-laden dust into
colonies and onto foraging bees, so if one place is windier than the other,
bee exposure and response may be different)? Is the area of planted corn
significantly different from the area of corn in Ontario (more corn planted
= more potential exposure to neonics and less alternative forage)?

Anecdotal evidence will do no one any good, whether that anecdotal evidence
argues against neonicotinoid use or for it. We should take things like this
with a grain of salt and understand that there are many factors at play
that may increase the potential of pesticides to severely affect honey bee
colonies.  I am not saying that beekeeper practices cannot be improved to
increase colony survival, but to blame beekeeping practices without any
comparison or contrast between beekeeping practices, landscape and foraging
environment, and pesticide exposure (in-hive or forager residues), it is
irresponsible to jump to this conclusion.

(Furthermore, even if neonicotinoids are not the issue for honey bee
colonies specifically, we should still be concerned about their many
detrimental effects on native bee populations, which have been demonstrated
in the scientific literature time and time again.)

On Thu, Sep 8, 2016 at 7:24 AM, Laurie Adams <lda at pollinator.org> wrote:

>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: John Purdy <johnrpurdy at gmail.com>
> Date: Thu, Sep 8, 2016 at 6:59 AM
> Subject: Fwd: [New post] Honeybees and Corn 2016
> To: Laurie Adams <LDA at pollinator.org>
>
>
> Here is an important observation from a beekeeper in western Canada.  It
> helps to build confidence in what I found in my recent bee health study.
> perhaps it is worth posting. (a section is a mile square or 640 acres)
>
> John
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Alberta Buzzing <donotreply at wordpress.com>
> Date: Sun, Sep 4, 2016 at 10:40 PM
> Subject: [New post] Honeybees and Corn 2016
> To: johnrpurdy at gmail.com
>
>
> Lee Townsend posted: "I had a yard of 40 hives on a quarter section of
> treated corn this year, and it is interesting as I am not seeing any of the
> effects on the bees that groups like the Ontario Beekeepers Association
> claims to take place in this situation.  My bees are of th"
>
> New post on *Alberta Buzzing*
> <http://albertabuzzing.com/?author=1> Honeybees and Corn 2016
> <http://albertabuzzing.com/2016/09/honeybees-and-corn-2016/> by Lee
> Townsend <http://albertabuzzing.com/?author=1>
>
> I had a yard of 40 hives on a quarter section of treated corn this year,
> and it is interesting as I am not seeing any of the effects on the bees
> that groups like the Ontario Beekeepers Association claims to take place in
> this situation.  My bees are of the same species that are in Ontario, the
> corn is treated the same way as it is in Ontario, and the planting was done
> the same as in Ontario.
>
> Leads me to think the problem is not neonics, but beekeeper management.
> It is truly unfortunate that the Ontario Beekeepers Association and groups
> like it refuse to admit what exactly they are doing with their colonies,
> with proof to back up their claims.
>
>
> *Lee Townsend <http://albertabuzzing.com/?author=1>* | September 4, 2016
> at 8:40 pm | URL: http://wp.me/p5JjBC-1X
>
> Comment
> <http://albertabuzzing.com/2016/09/honeybees-and-corn-2016/#respond>    See
> all comments
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> --
> John Purdy PhD
> Environmental Scientist
> Abacus Consulting Services Ltd
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