I was on phone w/ my club's president, who might be NJ's next state apiarist. He met w/ a researcher from Penn State Univ. about CCD. Two commercial beeks(in NJ) are participating w/ PSU research. They mail hive samples weeksly to PSU. The testing revealed that the bees used in citrus pollination in Florida have 4 plus times the amount of the insecticide using nicotinimides in the comb, brood and bees than the manufacturer said was capable of being absorbed. It was also higher than any other amounts found in bees used for crops other than citrus; some crops using similar insecticides. Its the same chemical found in Bayer's product sold under the name "merit" which is available for home gradeners at stores everywhere.
Quote from: KONASDAD on June 21, 2007, 12:05:31 PM
I was on phone w/ my club's president, who might be NJ's next state apiarist. He met w/ a researcher from Penn State Univ. about CCD. Two commercial beeks(in NJ) are participating w/ PSU research. They mail hive samples weeksly to PSU. The testing revealed that the bees used in citrus pollination in Florida have 4 plus times the amount of the insecticide using nicotinimides in the comb, brood and bees than the manufacturer said was capable of being absorbed. It was also higher than any other amounts found in bees used for crops other than citrus; some crops using similar insecticides. Its the same chemical found in Bayer's product sold under the name "merit" which is available for home gradeners at stores everywhere.
In the research and development of these chemicals you would think they'd have the bees and other pollinators in mind. :? Merit has the chemical Imidacloprid, which is known to case problems to beneficial insects including the honeybee, I think the French banned it. BTW, what branch of the NJBA are you a member of ?
South Jersey branch. I would encourage you, and anyone else in joining. If nothing else, you save money on bee mags. The state meeting is July 8th, and has a nice auction as well. I cant make it this year unfortunately.
I've read that growers wanting seedless oranges try to keep bees away from the trees.
That makes me wonder if they are treating the groves to keep bees out.
You've just hit a big controversy on the head, in California anyway. Clemintine or satsuma oranges have greater value if they are seddless--no pollination. The same growers who are paying $200+ dollars a hive to get bees into their almond orchards are complaining like mad if the bees are still in the orchards near the oranges when they start to bloom.
Some of the more understanding orchardists are also beekeepers. The co-Owner of Olivares Bees comes to mind. They are also the ones working on a solution instead of threatening legal action. All we don't need is for the courts to get involved and dictate an unworkable solution for everybody. So far the threats of legal action have just been that, as the growers know they could end up big losers.
The chemical manufacturers cannot test everything, and are trying to get their product on the market as fast as possible in order to recoup the expense to conduct testing. Its just the same with drugs that pharmacutical reps push on doctor's who have no clue what side effects these new drugs inherit. We have to look out for ourselves and the bees. Imidacloprid has been a major suspect in the search to find answers for ccd.
>In the research and development of these chemicals you would think they'd have the bees and other pollinators in mind.
They did. They made a mathematical model that said it wasn't a problem. :)
Mathmatical model??? If I recall correctly a very wise Humorist of America's past had this to say:
"There are lies, darn lies, and statistics." Mark Twain.
they are saying it is still subleathol dose .but if you combine that subleathol dose with another subleathol dose of something like a new singel cell pathogen. then you have a one two punch. if colony has no emunity to a one two punch then it becomes unbalenced in a hurry.maybe certian genitics will poses that type of emunity i dont know. when you think it through there are many, many kinds of one two punches.I belive in the end nauture will balence it self for the better. ; :) RDY-B