The evidence is stronger for neonicotinoids causing problems for bumble bees and solitary bees than it is re. honeybees.
That's probably true and this was brought up in the parliamentary sessions but Goulson and others are now looking at the effects on different insect species. Other than the well documented planter dust incidents I have not seen much, if any, evidence than seed treated crops have caused problems for honeybees. Most of the studies have looked at exposure levels way above field realistic for both pollen and nectar.
Interesting short article in The Times yesterday headed "Scientists 'fixed evidence' to get pesticides banned" by Ben Webster. It claims to have seen a leaked memo (from June 2010) referring to a meeting between Piet Wit of IUCN and Maartin Bijleveld van Lexmond, Chair of the Task Force on Systemic Pesticides, in which they planned the coordinated publication of papers to describe the impact of neonics and then call for their ban.
From the limited information available 'fixed evidence' seems a bit strong … there's certainly nothing in the article to say the data was fabricated (which is not saying the science was any good either). However, as the Bayer/Syngenta spokesman points out, the coordinated publication of papers with the intention of getting a banning policy in place suggests that the Task Force might not be entirely independent or scientifically rigorous.
I wonder how this came to be leaked now? Is there a review ongoing of the current moratorium?
[perhaps this should be in the Over the Edge conspiracy theory sub-forum?]
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