Neonicotinoid Pesticides and CCD

[davedan]

http://www.grist.org/article/2011-01...ticide-harmful

Jeffrey Pettis, lead researcher at the USDA’s very own Bee Research Laboratory, completed research two years ago suggesting that even extremely low levels of exposure to neonicotinoids makes bees more vulnerable to harm from common pathogens.

Pettis’s study focuses on imidacloprid, which like clothianidin is a neonicotinoid pesticide marketed by Bayer as a seed treatment. The study demonstrates that the insects’ vulnerability to infection is increased by the presence of imidacloprid, even at the most microscopic doses.

Pettis says he and his research team exposed two sets of honey bees to Nosema, a fungal pathogen toxic to honey bees. One set was also exposed to a neonicotinoid pesticide; the other not. “And we saw an increase, even if we fed the pesticide at very low levels—an increase in Nosema levels—in direct response to the low level feeding of neonicotinoids, as compared with the ones which were fed normal protein,”

Scientists have been focusing on the interaction between the Nosema fungus and the Iridoviridae virus [invertebrate iridescent virus type 6 (IIV-6)] as the culprit. Pettis’ research seems to suggest that neonicotinoids play a role, too—and at levels so low that researchers may be overlooking them.

[Haddon]

I have no clue what is causing the decline but I have to say from what I have read the time line matches neonicotinod use in the USA.

Anyone know what areas that are not being affected by ccd or the decline in a lecture by keth delaplane he said just the US and Russia but I know that was a few years old.

I know they claim its diseases but do they not have the same diseases in other places were the bees are not dieing and why is it just now that the diseases are killing the bees. Just like that new nosima keith said they found it was here back in the 80s they didnt know it then and I would bet it was here long before that.

Just because we didnt know about atoms for 2000 years didn't mean we didnt have them. You only find something if you are looking for it doesnt mean it wasnt there before you looked.

Thanks for posting the article

[jonathan]

I have no clue what is causing the decline but I have to say from what I have read the time line matches neonicotinod use in the USA.

Neonics were introduced in the US in 1992. The first reported cased of ccd were reported in 2006.
That's a 14 year gap so the statemnt above is quite inaccurate.

Why has the pettis study not been published. This suggests a major design flaw if his peers have not approved it.

One of the problems with caged bee lab studies such as this is that the process is inherently stressful to bees so the stress could be contributing to the interaction between nosema and Imidacloprid.
Establishing a valid control group would be tricky in an experiment such as this.

[Haddon]

I said decline not CCD
.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/n...honeybees.html

there is a nice article about bee decline oops its from 2004 couldn't be in decline then thats before CCD.

Now can the Irishman tell me if he has CCD in Ireland