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["Kieran and/or Donna" <holycow@frontiernet.net>]

"Nicotine Bees" Population Restored With Neonicotinoids Ban

by Roberta Cruger, Los Angeles  on 05.15.10

Following France and Germany, last year the Italian Agriculture Ministry 
suspended the use of a class of pesticides, nicotine-based neonicotinoids, 
as a "precautionary measure." The compelling results - restored bee 
populations - prompted the government to uphold the ban. Yesterday, copies 
of the film 'Nicotine Bees' were delivered to the US Congress explaining the 
pesticide's connection to Colony Collapse Disorder. Despite the evidence, 
why does CCD remain a 'mystery' in the US?Nicotinyl pesticides, containing 
clothianidin, thiametoxam and imidacloprid, used to coat plant seeds, are 
released into the lymph as a permanent insecticide inside the plant. But 
after just sucking dew from maize leaves that absorbed neonicotinoids, 
disoriented bees can't find their way to the apiary. Massive numbers of bees 
get lost and die.

In 2009, Italy's neonicotinoid-free corn sowing resulted in no cases of 
widespread bee mortality in apiaries around the crops. This had not happened 
since 1999. The European Research Center, Youris, reported that Moreno 
Greatti, from the University of Udine stated, "Bee hives have not suffered 
depopulation and mortality coinciding with maize sowing this year. 
Beekeepers from Northern Italy and all over the country are unanimous in 
recognizing that the suspension of neonicotinoid- and fipronil-coated maize 
seeds."

Although varroasis (infections from mites) and other pathologies are found 
at other times of the year, suspending neurotoxic insecticides improved the 
situation significantly. Francesco Panella, President of the Italian 
Association of Beekepers, says: "On behalf of beegrowers working in a 
countryside dominated by maize crops, I wrote to the Minister of Agriculture 
to confirm the great news, for once: thanks to the suspension of the 
bee-killing seed coating, the hives in the Po Valley are flourishing again."

Not true in Southern Italy, where bee mortality was high in citrus groves, 
which were sprayed with neonicotinoids, also used in vineyards and other 
crops. The new law has been challenged by the agrochemical industry but the 
Italian government upheld the ban.

Want to eat?

With pollination responsible for one-third of our food supply, the loss of 
30% of our bee population prompted the Pollinator Protection Campaign by the 
Sierra Club. It bought 333 copies of Nicotine Bees which were delivered to 
Congress on May 13 and 14, along with 50 more from the filmmakers, with a 
letter from the National Honey Bee Advisory Board. The American Beekeeping 
Federation and American Honey Producers Association are asking Congress to 
stop the threats from systemic pesticides to food supplies, honeybees and 
pollinators. Send a copy to the other 152 members of Congress by contacting 
the Sierra Club's bee campaign.

The bees steep decline in 2005 and 2006 was catastrophic around the world. 
In theUK bee numbers have been halved over 20 years, with reasons including 
the pesticide and warmer winters due to climate change. Honeybee pollinated 
fruit trees and crops in Britain amount to £165m annually, so a campaign to 
grow bees in city gardens and roofs has been an attempt to halt decline.

Despite the scientific data, reports still claim the reason for the bee 
crisis is unclear, even blaming cell phones. So what's really holding up the 
banning of neonicotinoids? As a beekeeper in the documentary says, "A fifth 
grader can figure this out."