A battle is raging....apparently!

[Jon]

No problem with zealots but you have to get your facts straight and you lose credibility when you stretch the truth too often.
look how often the claims in that article are prefaced with phrases such as 'leads me to suspect' or 'probably accounted for'

or what about the added parentheses and question mark.

A young gardener told me that all of
the palms and tropical plants were routinely
treated with systemic, long acting pesticides
(neonicotinoids?) and consequently there
would be little bird life in there as there was
no insect food.

Another one to check out.

The oak tree claim says 'systemic pesticide', rather than neonicotinoid.

Dont forget to smell the roses and check that one too.

'leads me to suspect'

but I could not
find one single honeybee, bumblebee or
hoverfly in my time among the roses. This
leads me to suspect that Kew’s roses are
treated against aphids with systemic neonics,
which kill and disorient bees at infinitesimal,
doses.

If you are a smart bloke you need to learn to read smart and note where the wriggle room has been inserted.

[worm (JTF3)]

I'll reply in full after my thoroughgoing interrogation of the Kew Tzars. It could end in a big schamozzle..
I'm actually not that boffered whether the pesticide on all the trees is actually neonics. Just why...

[Jon]

Good luck.
The author said he phoned on 18 July last year and got no reply.

[The Drone Ranger]

"but I could not
find one single honeybee, bumblebee or
hoverfly in my time among the roses. This
leads me to suspect" I went at the wrong time of year

My italics

[worm (JTF3)]

"but I could not
find one single honeybee, bumblebee or
hoverfly in my time among the roses. This
leads me to suspect" I went at the wrong time of year

My italics

yes, you do treat stuff light....

by the by, lambing shepherds don't fully sleep-they just act that way..

[Jon]

...and honey bees never forage on roses anyway!

[worm (JTF3)]

touche'

[The Drone Ranger]

yes, you do treat stuff light....

by the way, lambing shepherds don't fully sleep-they just act that way..

I might be the Robin Williams of beekeeping
sort of Mork to your Mindy

[Bumble]

ok. If it is the case that oak trees in Kew Gardens are being treated with neonics, and I've heard many of London's other trees are also routinely injected by contracted teams,what do you think?
Is it true? If so, is it justified? Or what?
Similar question for park lawns, golf courses and all our gardens?

Sorry, but that is alarmist twaddle! From who, and in what publication, where have you 'heard' this about London's trees?

As far as Kew and Wakehurst Place are concerned I would be astonished if they use any icides at all, let alone a systemics in Oaks which provide a habitat for the highest number of fauna in the whole ecosystem, numbering thousands of different species. I can't find much relevant information in an instant, but a page from the Telegraph gardening section "Tips from Wakehurst" 2010 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening...rst-Place.html

Do not use insecticides, especially early in the year. They kill indiscriminately. Pests (for example, aphids) have the ability to bounce back very quickly, but many predators (such as ladybirds) only produce one or two generations per year. So you'll end up with more problems, not fewer.

Green sprays (made from garlic or mustard) may not linger in the environment. However, they still kill pests and helpful predators alike. Even washing-up water is harmful to invertebrates. Use your fingers to squish aphids and caterpillar eggs.

Wakehurst is a sister site to Kew, run by the National Trust. http://www.kew.org/visit-wakehurst/index.htm

From 1995 http://www.pan-uk.org/pestnews/Issue/pn27/PN27P11.htm

The National Trust is demonstrating that amenity land can he managed without the use of any synthetic chemical pesticides.

Kew, if you didn't realise and couldn't be bothered to find out, is dedicated to conservation, is the home of the Millennium Seed Bank. It is also a world heritage site.

Kew http://www.kew.org/about-kew/policie...licy/index.htm

Environmental Policy

In seeking to achieve its mission, RBG Kew believes that its operation should be undertaken with minimal adverse impact on both the local and global environment.

Perhaps you don't need to phone them?

[gavin]

Apologies for jumping to conclusions as to the identity of 'worm'. I confused him with another user with similar online details. JTF's ban was permanent and we'll do our best to remove him if he registers under a new name and email address.