Are neonicotinoid pesticides responsible for the demise of bees and other wildlife?

[Johnthefarmer]

From the responses so far it seems that it's ok for a beekeeper to spray stuff willy-nilly about his own garden, advertise his actions, be supported by admin and other 'mainstream' supporters, but ungallant of a fellow islander, who farms organically. has Great Yellows on his land etc to suggest that sometimes it's necessary to think beyond the label on the tin!

[lindsay s]

Hello John first of all I’m not offended by any comments posted by you or Doris. Our paths do cross occasionally and we have attended bee meetings in each other’s homes.
I’m not proud of using pesticides and herbicides I’m just being practical. Walk into any garden centre and you will see shelves full of the stuff, do you think I’m the only person out there using them. Our flower and vegetable patch is guarded by my partner and is off limits to me but if something needs spraying I have no qualms about doing it.
I first took an interest in beekeeping in the late seventies and only acquired my first hive after numerous visits to my mentor’s apiary. In those days the general perception of beekeepers was that they were grumpy old men or eccentric spinsters, being in my late teens I thought I broke the mould. In reality most of today’s long term beekeepers probably got started the same way as me. There were no rules saying you had to love the planet.
My perception of most of the people who have recently jumped on the beekeeping bandwagon is that they are trendy thirty something’s or tree huggers out to save the planet. I think most of the thirty something’s will be using their expensive well-insulated Beehaus’s as wine coolers in a few years time. As for the tree huggers the less said about them the better but don’t expect me to bang the neonicotinoid drum.
I keep bees because I like honey and find them interesting.

Lindsay

P.S. John until your great yellows can fly the 15 plus miles to my garden you should have no problems from me.