UK Parliament submissions on pesticides

[Johnthefarmer]

Surprised you even have to think abut it John.
the answer is obvious.

Tell me.

[Jon]

Whitehorn et al 2012

Schneider et al 2012

and loads more in various countries and jurisdictions

Most studies looking at 1-5 ppb in pollen and nectar find no effect at all for honey bees although the Whitehorn et al study noted the reduced queen production for Bumbles. Goulson discussed his study if you take the time to watch the parliamentary evidence.

[Johnthefarmer]

What do you mean they want to take it? Do you mean they want to buy it from you or have they power to vest it from you whether you want to sell or not.

If you hold the cards it is up to you whether bumblebee habitat is more important than hard cash. Your call.
personally I never give a sh1t about money so would not be tempted to sell something I was happy to keep for a sum of money.
Being honest I suppose my head could be turned if it were silly money I could invest elsewhere, but I would also be thinking of what my neighbours would like on their doorstep for the next 50 years or so.

They could go for compulsory purchase, if I refuse to settle. They would win, but it would delay things.

So my current plan is to sell my land to the Orkney Island Council, who could then lease the site at a rate reflecting the profits of SSE.

Still, what about the Great Yellows?

I have had about 30 surveys on my land- archaeology,cultural history, botany,geology,seaweed(at least one very rare type),geophys,ecology,birds,etc. but no clear mention of the Great Yellow Bumblebee, to my knowledge.

If I am right, I'm pretty sure I am , that this land is one the the best remaining habitats for them (I have sometimes been able to see over half a dozen at one time on our outrun) what would you,SBA, recommend I do about this?

[Johnthefarmer]

Whitehorn et al 2012

Schneider et al 2012

and loads more in various countries and jurisdictions

Most studies looking at 1-5 ppb in pollen and nectar find no effect at all for honey bees although the Whitehorn et al study noted the reduced queen production for Bumbles. Goulson discussed his study if you take the time to watch the parliamentary evidence.

I will check them out.

If Bumble queen production is affected noticeably at these levels do you really think there are no, more subtle, effects on Honeys?

[Jon]

Get in touch with an independent environmental consultant , especially one with an interest in bumbles or pollinators.
I have friends who do this sort of stuff for a living but you would need to get a guy who knows the Scotland and Orkney situation.
There is legislation which stops inappropriate land development if an endangered species is disadvantaged.

[Jon]

If Bumble queen production is affected noticeably at these levels do you really think there are no, more subtle, effects on Honeys?

Listen to the panel of scientists who submitted oral evidence to Parliament. Goulson, Cresswell and the other two.
They discuss all of these issues.

[Johnthefarmer]

Whitehorn et al 2012

Schneider et al 2012

and loads more in various countries and jurisdictions

Most studies looking at 1-5 ppb in pollen and nectar find no effect at all for honey bees although the Whitehorn et al study noted the reduced queen production for Bumbles. Goulson discussed his study if you take the time to watch the parliamentary evidence.

Even this one found that honey bee foraging behaviour was upset by doses at and over 5 ppb! (0.5ng/bee- clothianidin)

[Jon]

With this experimental approach we monitored the acute effects of sublethal doses of the neonicotinoids imidacloprid (0.15–6 ng/bee) and clothianidin (0.05–2 ng/bee) under field-like circumstances. At field-relevant doses for nectar and pollen no adverse effects were observed for either substance.

http://www.plosone.org/article/info%...l.pone.0030023

[Johnthefarmer]

http://www.plosone.org/article/info%...l.pone.0030023

This is the next bit...quote

'' Both substances led to a significant reduction of foraging activity and to longer foraging flights at doses of ≥0.5 ng/bee (clothianidin) and ≥1.5 ng/bee (imidacloprid) during the first three hours after treatment.''

I take it you'll tell me this is X10 'field realistic'. Nevertheless, it was Schneider's next sentence....

Edit-you've not told me it's X10 field realistic- because it's not.So the trial you quoted to me contains evidence of field realistic doses of neonics significantly impairing foraging behaviour.

[Jon]

That is no surprise at the higher non field realistic doses.