Another plethora of neonicotinoid articles today...

[Jon]

As far as I know there is no beginners guide to bees and pesticides. The subject is heavy going and dry and involves understanding what the products do, how they work, how they are applied and how many parts per billion are likely to be damaging to honeybees. I don't know what Alison Benjamin's training is but it is clearly not in science.
The subject is dealt with in great detail on the forum Bee-L.

There was also a lot of good discussion on the old bbka forum (RIP)

Many of Alison Benjamin's articles in the Guardian were illustrated by a picture of a hoverfly rather than a honeybee. Sometimes a bumblebee was used. That is the level of fact checking we are dealing with.
The stories in the UK press appear to be based on press releases from the anti pesticide campaigners or campaigning organizations and as such have a completely one sided agenda. I am as wary of the big corporations as the next man (or woman) but the idea that if it is made by Bayer or Monsanto then it has to automatically be bad is lazy thinking. It may well be bad but you need to provide evidence for that which is where the science, the research and the published papers come in.

[AlexJ]

So what alternative do you suggest for a beginner?

HJBee - my thoughts are to steer well clear of the 'agendas' that have polarised all attempts to discuss pesticide use/ccd... on the forum.

I would urge you to start off with an open mind by carrying out your own research to try and understand the issues/interdependencies and underlying research that supports (or otherwise) the entrenched views often articulated here and elsewhere. Start off by scanning the threads below; pick out the links to studies and start to build up your knowledge of the subject matter. You'll also get a feel for the way in which opinions become reinforced and mask informative debate, and the challenges you will face.

• Video lecture about risk profile of neonicotinoid insecticides
• BBKA Pesticde Decision
• Jeff Pettis comment channel 4 news
• Nosema ceranae

I recently read IBRA (International Bee Research Association) Journal of Apicultural Research Special Issue: Colony Losses Volume 49 Number 1.

Alex

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Alex, I've just read through these threads again and heartily endorse your selection. Consider yourself poster of the week (for the day)! Folks, get yourself a cup of tea or other tipple, a comfy chair, and spend an hour or so going through that lot for a fantastic education. Many thanks to all who contributed.

I thought that clickable links would help here:

http://www.sbai.org.uk/sbai_forum/sh...channel-4-news

http://www.sbai.org.uk/sbai_forum/sh...d-insecticides

http://www.sbai.org.uk/sbai_forum/sh...ticde-Decision

http://www.sbai.org.uk/sbai_forum/sh...nosema+ceranae

[HJBee]

Thanks for the time to provide info / links AlexJ & Nellie - I have filled the book in question, unfinished.

[Neils]

I'd say finish it and make your own mind up its not clear cut by any means. I've not personally read the book in question so don't have an opinion on it one way or another

[Bumble]

I'm afraid that I tend to read and then dismiss 'alarmist' articles that include lots of 'maybes' and 'could' in amongst the text, more especially if they're accompanied by poorly sourced photographs. The hectoring and, sometimes, threatening (with regard to the future), posts that are on various internet sites are also a turn off because they don't encourage discussion.

The trouble is that, although I do agree that we should be wary of some pesticides and even herbicides, research is always funded by somebody or other, and they set the parameters and also, sometimes, the outcome and the press releases.

The thing I don't fully understand is that if seed dressings etc are so dangerous why do so many British beekeepers take their bees to OSR for the honey, and pollen, crop and do it again year after year, with no apparent ill-effects.

[Neils]

Now that is very good question indeed

[Jon]

And it is that simple observation which blows away most of the scaremongering.
Borderbeeman and others are trying to claim that neonicotinoids on oil seed rape affect queen quality and induce early supersedure.
Well funny, I reared over 100 last year and I had 20 acres of oil seed rape within 400 yards of my mating apiary.
These queens are still going strong in my own colonies and in the colonies of members of our queen rearing group.
Mervyn who runs the neighbouring Dromore BKA queen rearing group brings all his colonies, a dozen or so, to about 100 acres of oil seed rape in April. He brings them back home at the end of May and starts grafting at that point. The reason he brings them to the OSR is to have big strong colonies for queen rearing. Go figure as the Americans like to say.