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  • From: Bill Shoemaker <wshoemak AT illinois.edu>
  • To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Zucchini problem
  • Date: Sun, 1 Aug 2010 08:08:16 -0500 (CDT)

While pesticides may play a role in Colony Collapse Disorder, and they should
be subject to as much scrutiny as needed to determine if they are or not,
recent word from researchers working on the problem is suggesting that
viruses and wholesale commercial beekeeping services may have more to do with
the problem. I'm still a little suspicious of imidacloprid but I think there
is evidence of other problems playing a bigger role in CCD.

Bill

---- Original message ----
>Date: Sun, 1 Aug 2010 01:31:29 -0400
>From: Richard Stewart <rstewart AT zoomtown.com>
>Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Zucchini problem
>To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
>
>Its not being talked about much but there is a rather large native
>pollinator issue as well, especially bumblebees.
>
>There is a lot of discussion concerning fungicides and their possible
>effects on the both the enzymes in bees stomach as well as the micro and
>macro immune systems of the honey bee.
>
>I think its safe to say that if you are using insecticides, even exactly as
>per label directions you are doing direct harm to ANY pollinators. Simply
>spraying at night or early evening is not enough.
>
>I'll also add that Bees forage in full sunlight, AM or PM and heat is not an
>issue. It can be 101 out and they are bringing in nectar and pollen. If it
>gets too warm they may be foraging water to cool the hive if its getting to
>hot, but to say the bees are not in the blossoms at all would more of an
>exception and not the rule and while a single individual may be experiencing
>it I would not consider it a rule.
>
>This is a little snippet regarding what is going on in California regarding
>Imidacloprid from one o f my beekeeping lists:
>
>"From Eric Mussen's (UC Davis Department of Entomology) Newsletter
>
>Neonicotinoids Under Review This spring the California Department of
>Pesticide Regulation (DPR) decided to request more information on the
>effects of the uses of the nitroguanidine class of neonicotinoids.
>Specifically, they wish to see information on imidacloprid, clothianidin,
>thiamethoxam, and dinotefuran. As you may know, imidacloprid is marketed by
>a very large number of companies. Since the original patent belonged to
>Bayer CropScience, their company will be presenting data to cover the other
>distributors. This review will cover 282 different pesticide products
>registered to 50 different registrants. The decision to request this review
>was based on an "adverse effects disclosure" pertaining to imidacloprid.
>There were twelve residue and two combination residue, honey and bumble bee
>studies of imidaclo-
>prid use on a number of ornamental plants. The two triggering items were
>"high levels of imidacloprid in leaves and blossoms of treated plants, and
>increases in residue levels over time." The bits of data that were coming
>in demonstrated that residues of imidacloprid in the blossoms of treated
>trees could exceed, in one case by twenty times, the LC 50 for a honey bee,
>which is estimated to be ? 185 ppb. An LC 50 is the lethal concen-
>tration that would be expected to kill 50 of 100 bees consuming that dose.
>The major concern relates to pollinator exposure, so the following uses were
>exempt from this examination: 1. gel or impregnated strips 2. termiticides
> 3. rodent flea control products (field) 4. pet spot applications 5. ant
>and cockroach baits 6. premise pest control 7. manufacturing use products.
> DPR hopes to obtain residue analyses on nectars and pollens of treated
>agricultural crops that require pollination. DPR also is going to require
>results from studies designed to determine the consequences of having
>residues in the diets of various stages of honey bee development. US EPA
>also has a review docket for imidacloprid under way. In an attempt to
>better ensure a "level playing field" for the neonicotinoid class as a
>whole, EPA will be looking at the rest of the neonicotinoids in fiscal year
>2012. "
>
>There are also some new studies out there regarding fungicides and their
>impact on both the bee and the beehive.
>
>Just some additional info and food for thought.
>
>Richard Stewart
>Carriage House Farm
>North Bend, Ohio
>
>An Ohio Century Farm Est. 1855
>
>(513) 967-1106
>http://www.carriagehousefarmllc.com
>rstewart AT zoomtown.com
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William H Shoemaker, UI-Crop Sciences
Sr Research Specialist, Food Crops
St Charles Horticulture Research Center
535 Randall Road St Charles, IL 60174
630-584-7254; FAX-584-4610




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