neonicotinoids update

[The Drone Ranger]

http://www.beeculture.com/catch-buzz...s-wildflowers/
Worth a read if like me you were inclined to discount the effect on bees of treated seed
My thinking was that if bee lifespan was shortened it would recover later
I'm not sure that is true now

[gavin]

The original paper came out last year and does include that incredible claim that 97% of the neonics entering a colony comes from the vegetation around arable fields:

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/...nalCode=esthag

There was a response from the industry but I can read neither article without shelling out:

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/acs.est.5b05729

Anyone with access want to comment? I'm finding it somewhat counter-intuitive that 97% comes in from wildflower sources.

[greengumbo]

http://www.sasa.gov.uk/sites/default...pe_2015-16.pdf

Survey summary released by SASA on Scottish Winter Oilseed Rape Cultivation 2015/16: Impact of the second year of Neonicotinoid Seed Treatment Restrictions

[greengumbo]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-40382086

and the paper here.....but behind a paywall.

http://science.sciencemag.org/conten...6345/1393.full

[The Drone Ranger]

Its not surprising that insecticides harm insects
The thing about neonics is persistence in the environment
Again its not surprising that a proportion of a seed dressing stays in the soil
Solution is buy only organic fruit and veg etc

Sent from my LIFETAB_S1034X using Tapatalk

[Thymallus]

Its not surprising that insecticides harm insects
The thing about neonics is persistence in the environment

Spot on that is their designated purpose. Persistence is not something restricted to neonics, some pyrethroids have reported half lives of up to 2 years in soils. No insecticides/pesticides are good for bees, but perhaps seed dressing vs spraying might be worth a thought in their application. Spraying does tend to kill pretty quickly whats is underneath the spray.

[greengumbo]

Update:

https://www.theguardian.com/environm...l-gove-reveals

Its worth reading the scientific papers cited with an open mind if you can get access.

[Feckless Drone]

to follow up - Daniel Cressey writes a nice piece in today's issue of Nature (https://www.nature.com/news/the-bitt...icides-1.22972) on the issue. I've passed the details to the SBA magazine editor in case it can be reproduced there. The article is very accessible though a bit depressing. The combination of a highly complex biological problem that has not been particularly well addressed in early investigations, self and financial-interest, entrenched attitudes, sloppy journalism....

Bit like Scottish football I suppose.

[Greengage]

Looks like your minister is a sheep in wolfs clothing. https://leftfootforward.org/2017/11/...ut-not-others/