Neonicotinoids and CCD

[Neils]

There comes a point where you just might as well sit back and enjoy the show.

[gavin]

If I notice this kind of behaviour here again I will not hesitate to point it out and initiate steps to curtail it.

Doris, this reads like a threat. Wholely inappropriate, just like your comment that Jon needs to improve his scientific skills.

If you are going to put yourself forward as a beekeeping organiser, promoter, commentator, you need people to respect both the way you act and the quality of your judgement. Judgement can only operate if you have an open mind. I had hoped that the discussion on here might help you arrive at that point but somehow I just don't see it happening now.

The popcorn thing wasn't meant to be ridicule but instead to indicate that I was enjoying reading and would rather spectate. OK, jokey, implying that the argument was going nowhere, that it was futile, but not ridicule.

[gavin]

Nellie has just raced up the poster of the week chart.

In case anyone was wondering, the poster of the week thing is so informal that there is no beginning and no recognised end. As the 'week' never ends there will never be an actual winner, but we can have an imaginary chart. If anyone ever declares 'Mornington Crescent' we might bring it to a temporary halt, to start again at some random time.

[Calum]

I was talking to some Austrians in Voralberg. They had heavy losses.
They were clear on the fact that it was empty hives due to varroa - at the end the bees abscond..
No mention of other causes.
They are using the wrong method to treat against varroa (imho). Austria recommends use of 85% Fromic acid since 2010.
This greatly reduces the flexability in treatment as opposed to treating with 60% - as with 60% you can treat up to 8 times as needed. 85% Treatments are more one of long term treatments (medicine bottle or Leibigdispenser). I can treat over 8 weeks using 60% on a sponge.

So may last treatment in a long autumn was in the first week October last year, whereas other beekeepers were finished in August.

I note that there was no comparison of varroa treatment strategy in the ages melissa study.

[HJBee]

Ok folks, as a beginner I have sat back and considered the exchange all round for the past 10 days or so. Can I please point out I find the behaviours questionable and antagonistic and are seriously putting me off a) this forum and b) the greater beekeeping community as scary folk who you want to avoid as opposed to ask / seek sensible advice from. My work place has enough politics / conflict in it, I do not want my new hobby to have that too!

[Jon]

Apparently it was Imidacloprid which did for Michael Jackson.
Even an Oxygen tent is scant protection against such a danger in our midst.

HJ Bee. It's just banter. No bees or humans are getting hurt in the exchange.
If people were annoyed they would not be back here like moths to the flame.

[Calum]

ok I want a crack at this poster of the week thingy...

I think its bats that are doing it. Explains everything.

[Neils]

Here's how I see it currently.

[Calum]

Ok folks, as a beginner I have sat back and considered the exchange all round for the past 10 days or so. Can I please point out I find the behaviours questionable and antagonistic and are seriously putting me off a) this forum and b) the greater beekeeping community as scary folk who you want to avoid as opposed to ask / seek sensible advice from. My work place has enough politics / conflict in it, I do not want my new hobby to have that too!

yes, but it is multiple cases of this:

[Neils]

Ok folks, as a beginner I have sat back and considered the exchange all round for the past 10 days or so. Can I please point out I find the behaviours questionable and antagonistic and are seriously putting me off a) this forum and b) the greater beekeeping community as scary folk who you want to avoid as opposed to ask / seek sensible advice from. My work place has enough politics / conflict in it, I do not want my new hobby to have that too!

I think the point around sensible advice is important HJbee. Do we leave "Oilseed rape will kill your bees" unchallenged as sensible advice?

The forum could just take the view that posts like that are removed completely but I don't actually think that is a sensible course of action either, who gets to decide the beekeeping gospel according to SBAi and why can't that view be challenged?

There is a sensible debate to be had around these points and unfortunately your new hobby is rife with politics at every level from the petty to crusades like this one or the Phone Mast brigades who want to pin their motives on a "save the bees" banner.

You can take a simple course of action in just avoiding any thread with the word Pesticide or neonicotinoid in it. You won't miss anything too important if pointless bun fights aren't your thing, it won't teach you anything about beekeeping or offer up any sensible practical advice. You'll find these threads on pretty much every beekeeping forum on the internet and maybe it is time on this one to start hoovering these arguments up into one big bucket so that the rest of the forum isn't over run with the same argument running in every thread.