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CCD/Neonicotinoid Data (Studies, Articles, Links)

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#1 ·
Use this thread to post Articles, Studies or Links that apply to the topic of CCD.
This will allow members to have all supporting data in one place.

This thread is NOT for discussion.
Post supporting data only. Discuss data in other threads.
 
#27 ·
The corn pollen as a food source for honeybees

http://www.scielo.br/pdf/asagr/v33n4/20.pdf

DOI: 10.4025/actasciagron.v33i4.10533
Acta Scientiarum. Agronomy Maringá, v. 33, n. 4, p. 701-704, 2011

Darclet Teresinha Malerbo-Souza

ABSTRACT

This experiment was conducted on the campus of the University Center Moura Lacerda, Ribeirão Preto, in 2009 an d 2010 with the objective of verifying the attractiveness of corn pollen for the Africanized honeybees Apis mellifera. The frequency of these bees, and the foraging behavior and stability were obtained by counting the first 10 min. of each hour, from 7.00 to 18.00, on three different days. Africanized honey bees collected only pollen in male flowers of maize, with a peak frequency of 9.00 in 2009 and between 16.00 and 17.00 in 2010. The corn pollen was very collected by Africanized honey bees, an important food source for these bees.
 
#28 ·
Evaluation of the nutritive value of maize for honey bees

Nicole Höcherl
Reinhold Siede
Ingrid Illies
Heike Gätschenberger
Jürgen Tautz
a
BEEGroup, Biozentrum Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, D-97074 Würzburg, Germany
b
LLH Bieneninstitut Kirchhain, Erlenstraße 9, D-35274 Kirchhain, Germany
c
LWG, Fachzentrum Bienen, An der Steige 15, D-97209 Veitshöchheim, Germany

Received 23 September 2011
Received in revised form 1 December 2011
Accepted 2 December 2011
Available online 7 December 2011

abstract

In modern managed agro-ecosystems, the supply of adequate food from blooming crops is limited to brief periods. During periods of pollen deficiencies, bees are forced to forage on alternative crops, such as maize. However, pollen of maize is believed to be a minor food source for bees as it is thought to be lack ing in proteins and essential amino acids. This study was conducted to verify this assumption. In maize, a strikingly low concentration of histidine was found, but the amount of all other essential amino acids was greater than that of mixed pollen. The performance and the immunocompetence of bees consuming a pure maize pollen diet (A) was compared to bees feeding on a polyfloral pollen diet (B) and to bees feeding on an artificial substitute of pollen (C). Consumption of diets A and C were linked to a reduction in brood rearing and lifespan. However, no immunological effects were observed based on two parameters
of the humoral immunity.

http://www.hobos.de/fileadmin/Publikationen/145_Hoecherl....pdf

...
Mixed pollen was collected by bees in June 2009 during the offbloom period of maize using commercial pollen traps. The pollen loads were removed daily in the evening and frozen to 18 C. Before the pollen was fed to the bees (colonies and caged bees) the pollen loads were ground and later mixed with honeydew honey (fir tree) to create a paste (ratio 2.5:1, wt/wt). Maize pollen (variety ‘‘Athletico’’ KWS, Einbeck, Germany) was collected by hand, ...
 
#32 ·
Re: eu vote

peter l. borst writes on bee-l:

"What really happened:

Several European countries have suspended the use of certain pesticides in response to incidents involving acute poisoning of honey bees. To EPA's knowledge, none of the incidents that led to suspensions have been associated with Colony Collapse Disorder. The following are the countries in which pesticides have been suspended, the pesticides in question, and the current registration status for the pesticide:

France - Sunflower and corn seed treatments of the active ingredient imidacloprid are suspended in France; other imidacloprid seed treatments, such as for sugar beets and cereals, are allowed, as are foliar uses.

Germany - The use of a number of seed treatment pesticides was temporarily suspended following an incident in May 2008 in which many bees were inadvertently poisoned. However, after investigating the factors contributing to the situation, Germany lifted the suspensions with the exception of the neonicotinoid clothianidin, which remains suspended as a seed treatment for corn.

Italy - Certain imidacloprid and other neonicotinoid seed treatment uses were suspended temporarily, but foliar uses are allowed. This action was taken based on preliminary monitoring studies in northern and southern regions of Italy showing that bee losses were correlated with the application of seeds treated with these compounds; Italy also based its decision on the known acute toxicity of these compounds to pollinators.

Slovenia - Neonicotinoid seed treatments for maize and oil seed rape (canola) were temporarily suspended. The suspension was based on poor seed treatment methods resulting in release of dust during the seed sowing process. In August 2008, the suspension for oil seed rape seed treatments was lifted due to improved seed treatment methods and seed sowing equipment.

SOURCE:
http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/about/intheworks/ccd-european-ban.html "
 
#34 ·
Central Archive for all Recent Papers on Neonics, Bee-Deaths and Bird Deaths associated with Neonics

http://smallbluemarble.org.uk/research/

Here is a sample:

http://smallbluemarble.org.uk/research/existing-scientific-evidence-of-neonicotinoids-bees/
This policy note from the EU Department for Economic and Scientific Policy contains some useful summaries of relevant research, including soil persistence rates, and defers in relation to pesticide authorisations to the on-going review by the European Food Safety Authority. The policy concludes that “ the precautionary principle in accordance with the Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 should be applied when using neonicotinoids.”

http://smallbluemarble.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Mineau-Palmer-2013-The-Impact-of-the-Nations-Most-Widely-Used-Insecticides-on-Birds.pdf
The Impact of the Nation’s Most Widely Used Insecticides on Birds – American Bird Conservancy, March 2013. This report shows that similar errors in risk assessment have been made with regard to birds as were made to insects – the chronic/reproductive toxicity of neonicotinoids to birds is high. This was recognised very early on in the regulatory reviews of the various active ingredients. Yet high reproductive toxicity in birds is typically ignored in the pesticide review process.

http://smallbluemarble.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Hatjina2013.pdf
Sublethal doses of imidacloprid decreased size of hypopharyngeal glands and respiratory rhythm of honeybees in vivo
 
#35 ·
Central Archive for all Recent Papers on Neonics, Bee-Deaths and Bird Deaths associated with Neonics
If they wanted to, Bayer and Syngenta could hire a professional film crew and ecologists to make a pro-grade film documenting:

1) No food crops in the USA have suffered yield losses due to a shortage of honeybees.

2) Wildflowers growing in the vicinity of neonic treated crops in the USA continue to set alot of seed because both honeybees and wild pollinators like hover flies and butterflies continue to be common along the edges of the neonic treated crop fields.

3) Bats continue to be common in the evening in the vicinity of farm buildings that are surrounded by neonic treated crops because there are still lots of insects flying around in the evening.

4) Leopard frogs continue to be common along the margins of fields of Roundup Ready Corn and Soybeans in the Midwest USA.

5) Birds continue to be common in the tree hedgerows and shelter belts that are surrounded by neonic treated crops because there still lots of earthworms and other invertebrates for them to eat in the neonic treated crop soil plus they can find wildflower seeds along the crop margins.
 
#37 ·
One of my co-worker received the following in an email.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 2, 2013

USDA and EPA Release New Report on Honey Bee Health


WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today released a comprehensive scientific report on honey bee health. The report states that there are multiple factors playing a role in honey bee colony declines, including parasites and disease, genetics, poor nutrition and pesticide exposure.

"There is an important link between the health of American agriculture and the health of our honeybees for our country's long term agricultural productivity," said Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan. "The forces impacting honeybee health are complex and USDA, our research partners, and key stakeholders will be engaged in addressing this challenge."

"The decline in honey bee health is a complex problem caused by a combination of stressors, and at EPA we are committed to continuing our work with USDA, researchers, beekeepers, growers and the public to address this challenge," said Acting EPA Administrator Bob Perciasepe. "The report we've released today is the product of unprecedented collaboration, and our work in concert must continue. As the report makes clear, we've made significant progress, but there is still much work to be done to protect the honey bee population."


In October 2012, a National Stakeholders Conference on Honey Bee Health, led by federal researchers and managers, along with Pennsylvania State University, was convened to synthesize the current state of knowledge regarding the primary factors that scientists believe have the greatest impact on managed bee health.

Key findings include:

Parasites and Disease Present Risks to Honey Bees:

The parasitic Varroa mite is recognized as the major factor underlying colony loss in the U.S. and other countries. There is widespread resistance to the chemicals beekeepers use to control mites within the hive. New virus species have been found in the U.S. and several of these have been associated with Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD).
Increased Genetic Diversity is Needed:

U.S. honeybee colonies need increased genetic diversity. Genetic variation improves bees thermoregulation (the ability to keep body temperature steady even if the surrounding environment is different), disease resistance and worker productivity.
Honey bee breeding should emphasize traits such as hygienic behavior that confer improved resistance to Varroa mites and diseases (such as American foulbrood).
Poor Nutrition Among Honey Bee Colonies:

Nutrition has a major impact on individual bee and colony longevity. A nutrition-poor diet can make bees more susceptible to harm from disease and parasites. Bees need better forage and a variety of plants to support colony health.
Federal and state partners should consider actions affecting land management to maximize available nutritional forage to promote and enhance good bee health and to protect bees by keeping them away from pesticide-treated fields.
There is a Need for Improved Collaboration and Information Sharing:

Best Management Practices associated with bees and pesticide use, exist, but are not widely or systematically followed by members of the crop-producing industry. There is a need for informed and coordinated communication between growers and beekeepers and effective collaboration between stakeholders on practices to protect bees from pesticides.
Beekeepers emphasized the need for accurate and timely bee kill incident reporting, monitoring, and enforcement.
Additional Research is Needed to Determine Risks Presented by Pesticides:

The most pressing pesticide research questions relate to determining actual pesticide exposures and effects of pesticides to bees in the field and the potential for impacts on bee health and productivity of whole honey bee colonies.

Those involved in developing the report include USDA's Office of Pest Management Policy (OPMP), National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), Agricultural Research Services (ARS), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), National Resource Conversation Service (NRCS) as well as the EPA and Pennsylvania State University. The report will provide important input to the Colony Collapse Disorder Steering Committee, led by the USDA, EPA and the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).

An estimated one-third of all food and beverages are made possible by pollination, mainly by honey bees. In the United States, pollination contributes to crop production worth $20-30 billion in agricultural production annually. A decline in managed bee colonies puts great pressure on the sectors of agriculture reliant on commercial pollination services. This is evident from reports of shortages of bees available for the pollination of many crops.

The Colony Collapse Steering Committee was formed in response to a sudden and widespread disappearance of adult honey bees from beehives, which first occurred in 2006. The Committee will consider the report's recommendations and update the CCD Action Plan which will outline major priorities to be addressed in the next 5-10 years and serve as a reference document for policy makers, legislators and the public and will help coordinate the federal strategy in response to honey bee losses.

To view the report, which represents the consensus of the scientific community studying honey bees, please visit: http://www.usda.gov/documents/ReportHoneyBeeHealth.pdf
 
#38 ·
Neonicotinoids pose serious risk to aquatic ecosystems

Macro-Invertebrate Decline in Surface Water Polluted with Imidacloprid

Tessa C. Van Dijk, Marja A. Van Staalduinen, Jeroen P. Van der Sluij

http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0062374


Abstract

Imidacloprid is one of the most widely used insecticides in the world. Its concentration in surface water exceeds the water quality norms in many parts of the Netherlands. Several studies have demonstrated harmful effects of this neonicotinoid to a wide range of non-target species. Therefore we expected that surface water pollution with imidacloprid would negatively impact aquatic ecosystems.

Availability of extensive monitoring data on the abundance of aquatic macro-invertebrate species, and on imidacloprid concentrations in surface water in the Netherlands enabled us to test this hypothesis. Our regression analysis showed a significant negative relationship (P<0.001) between macro-invertebrate abundance and imidacloprid concentration for all species pooled. A significant negative relationship was also found for the orders Amphipoda, Basommatophora, Diptera, Ephemeroptera and Isopoda, and for several species separately. The order Odonata had a negative relationship very close to the significance threshold of 0.05 (P = 0.051). However, in accordance with previous research, a positive relationship was found for the order Actinedida.

We used the monitoring field data to test whether the existing three water quality norms for imidacloprid in the Netherlands are protective in real conditions. Our data show that macrofauna abundance drops sharply between 13 and 67 ng l−1. For aquatic ecosystem protection, two of the norms are not protective at all while the strictest norm of 13 ng l−1 (MTR) seems somewhat protective. In addition to the existing experimental evidence on the negative effects of imidacloprid on invertebrate life, our study, based on data from large-scale field monitoring during multiple years, shows that serious concern about the far-reaching consequences of the abundant use of imidacloprid for aquatic ecosystems is justified.
 
#39 ·
Is the solution to bees survival to ban more pesticides?

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130503094140.htm



May 3, 2013 —
Bees Survival: Ban More Pesticides?
Neonicotinoids are under intense scrutiny. But a ban on a broad variety of pesticides may be required to protect bees, humans and the environment.

The European Commission, on 29th April 2013, slapped a two-year ban on insecticides suspected of killing-off bee colonies. This follows the European Food Safety Authority finding that they pose a high acute risk to honey bees. Studies suggest that the nicotine-like compounds fry bees' navigation systems and leave them unable to learn, while weakening their immune system.

But scientists now warn that other nerve-agents targeting insect pests may also be harming bees and other pollinators.

"These neonicotinoids are just one of hundreds of compounds being used and I would be surprised if it was all down to just these chemicals," says Christopher Connolly, a neuro-scientist at the University of Dundee, UK. He argues that we should not allow farmers spray a toxic soup of chemicals onto their crops.

Pesticides not adequately tested

Connolly exposed bee brains to these pesticides and organo-based pesticides and reported that the nerves spun into hyperactivity and then stopped working. A combination of these two pesticides types had a stronger impact, suggesting the combined soup of pesticides could be causing more serious harm.

"I don't understand how this was missed. As a neuroscientist it just seemed blindingly obvious. The biggest effect was hyper-activation of the major learning centre, which was completely predictable," Connolly said.

The nerve agents effects were missed because safety-screens only looked to see how many honey bees die after four days exposure to the pesticide in question. But harm to the bees is only evident over a period of two weeks in bumblebees and is only seen when you look at entire colonies.


"So the safety test is all wrong. The thing that concerns me is that this throws a question mark over several hundred pesticides, all tested by inadequate safety screens,"
says Connolly. He suggests that we should be tracking pesticides use in the environment, just like we monitor drug use in patients.

Not collecting such data might even pose health issues for people.

"Bear in mind we have lots of 'idiopathic' diseases (diseases of unknown origin) in humans, which we don't know the cause of and given that we don't know what pesticides are used in what combinations and when, we don't know if these pesticides may be contributing to some or even all these unknown diseases,"
Connolly warns.

More research needed

Connolly argues that we need to carry out research to find out which pesticides are the least harmful.
If neonicotinoids are the least toxic, then we should go with them. He says governments have under-funded this research area partly because it is inconvenient to find pesticides are dangerous.

Dave Goulson, Professor of Biological Science at the University of Stirling, UK agrees:

"there haven't been nearly enough studies of all pesticides or interactions between them."
He recently published a study showing neonicotinoids hit bumblebee colony growth and queen production.
He also said: "beneficial insects such as ladybirds and bees are exposed to lots of different chemicals and we have a really poor understanding of what it does to them." He also points out that we need to be concerned with what we replace these nerve agents with.

More research may be helpful, but industry criticises extrapolation of lab studies to field conditions. Julian Little, spokesperson for Bayer Cropscience, based in Norwich, UK, says the evidence against these pesticides has all been lab based, essentially taking a social insect and force-feeding it insecticide. It says the results cannot be replicated in the environment.

But he also agrees more monitoring of pollinators is needed. "Where you do get large-scale bee deaths not enough has been done to know exactly what has happened," Little commented. He says pests and loss of feeding sites and nesting sites are most likely behind bee declines. "France has had restrictions [of neonicotinoids] over the last ten years, yet the bees there remain as bad if not worse than they are in the UK."Avoidance of pesticide use

A possible solution to preserve bee populations further would be to restore the principle of avoidance of pesticide use.

"The whole ethos of pest management has gone in the wrong direction," Goulson argues. Whereas integrated pest management sought to use as few pesticides as possible, the neonicotinoids are a preventive strike.

"A simple analogy is that it's like taking antibiotics in case you get ill rather than when you get ill. Everyone knows that is a silly idea, as it results in bacteria rapidly developing resistance. It is the same with these pesticides."

However, opponents believe that the neonicotinoids ban is unlikely to decrease pesticide use. Quite the opposite.
Julian Little of Bayer warns that farmers may now have to resort to spraying insecticides up to four times a year, now that they cannot coat seeds in neonicotinoids.

But other experts do not agree. There are several alternatives to using neonicotinoids, and other pesticides, according to Simon Potts, professor of biodiversity and ecosystem services at Reading University, UK.
"This is a great opportunity for farmers to adopt these practices to protect bees and other pollinators".Indeed, he believes farmers will benefit from healthy pollinator populations as they provide substantial economic benefits to crop pollination.

"Few people would disagree that we need to protect our food production, but it shouldn't be at the cost of damaging the environment," Potts said, adding:
"A short-term decision to keep using harmful products may be convenient, but will almost certainly have much greater long-term costs for food production and the environment."
 
#40 ·
"canada wrestles with bee-killing pesticides"

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/story/2013/05/03/science-bee-neonicotinoid-pesticides.html

CBC Edmonton: May 3, 2013 2:18 PM MT

Canada wrestles with bee-killing crop pesticides
Government recommends mitigation measures, not ban



Canadian government scientists have found evidence that neonicotinoid pesticides were linked to mass bee deaths during the spring corn planting in Ontario and Quebec in 2012. (Heinz-Peter Bader/Reuters)

Canadians beekeepers, farmers and regulators are wrestling with how to protect bees from popular pesticides that were partially banned in Europe this week.

The European Commission announced Monday that it would go ahead with a partial two-year ban on three kinds of neonicotinoid pesticides that have been linked to bee deaths. The pesticides are used to coat most commercial corn seeds and protect them from pests such as seed-eating insects.

Canadian government scientists have found evidence that neonicotinoid pesticides were linked to mass bee deaths during the spring corn planting in Ontario and Quebec in 2012, Health Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency confirmed in a report.

Read more about Health Canada's findings HERE:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/story/2013/04/29/wdr-ontario-farmers-bees-corn-planting.html

To ban or not to ban?

That has some people, such as Dan Davidson, president of the Ontario Beekepers' Association, calling for the use of the neonicotinoid pesticides to be restricted in Canada also.

"I think the best for beekeepers would be a ban," he told CBC's The Current. "We have to call for replacement of these chemicals.
We won't be able to keep going on if they continue to be used at the rates they're being used now."
Listen to the full interviews on 'The Current'
http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/episode/2013/05/03/reversing-the-collapse-of-the-honey-bee-industry/

The environmental advocacy group Sierra Club Canada is similarly calling for a Canada to take the pesticides off the market until they have been proven safe.

However, Kevin Armstrong, a farmer who grows corn, wheat and soybean south of Woodstock, Ont., said neonicotinoid pesticides are essential for protecting corn seeds and seedlings during their crucial first month.

"It is a kind of insurance policy for us," he told The Current. "The vigour of the whole plant is assured for the whole season."

Armstrong said neonicotinoids are largely responsible for a 15 per cent increase in Ontario corn yields over the past 15 years, and so a ban on them could cause a significant loss. A loss of 10 per cent translates into about $100 an acre, he said. If Ontario farmers plant 2.3 million acres of corn as expected, that could amount to a $230-million loss.

"It works out to a significant economic setback for us."

2012 mass bee-deaths unprecedented

Mary Mitchell, director-general of the environmental assessment directorate with Health Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency, said neonicotinoid pesticides have been registered in Canada for 10 to 15 years and mass bee deaths linked to them had never been reported before last year.

"So we do think the weather may have been a factor," she said, noting that it had been an unusually early, warm dry spring.

She said regulators are working to prevent that happening again, but she did not mention any talk of restrictions on the use of the pesticides.

Instead, she said the government is encouraging farmers to communicate better with beekeepers and to using planting equipment that minimizes the production of dust, which is thought to be a major way bees are exposed to the pesticides.

The government is also working with the agricultural industry on ways to get the pesticide coating to stick better to the seed so it can't come off and harm the bees.

Tracy Baute, who leads the field crop entomology program at the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food, said more studies are underway to find out exactly how bees are exposed to neonicotinoid pesticides.

However, in the meantime, she recommends that farmers:
  • Let nearby beekeepers know when they are planting so the beekeepers can move hives if necessary.
  • Consider planting in the early morning or the evening, when bees are less active.
  • Consider using seeds that aren't treated with pesticides in fields at a lower risk of attack by pests.


The reports of mass bee deaths in Ontario and Quebec in 2012 took place around the time that two scientific studies were published showing that bees can be harmed by even low levels of neonicotinoids.

Many bee species have been declining in North America and Europe, and some have even gone extinct or are believed to be close to extinction. Meanwhile, honeybees have been reported dying or disappearing en masse since 2006. In addition to pesticides, there is evidence that fungi, viruses, or parasites may play a role.
 
#41 · (Edited by Moderator)
The science behind the eu ban on neonics: Bbc radio programme

This is an excellent BBC Radio discussion of the Science behind the ban on neonics in Europe.
It is available online in America via this link, which should work in the USA.

Professor Dave Goulson (bumblebee expert at Sussex University) is good and Professor Lynn Dicks of Cambridge University (entomologist: moth and butterfly expert) is good on the regulatory process.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01s4sz8

BBC Radio: 'MATERIAL WORLD': Bees and pesticides;

Duration: 10 minutes

First broadcast: Thursday 02 May 2013
"EU states have voted in favour of a proposal to restrict the use of certain pesticides that have been linked to causing serious harm in bees. Neonicotinoid chemicals in pesticides are sprayed onto seeds and spread throughout the plant as it grows. There has been a lot of concern about this systemic approach, with some scientists arguing that it is comparable to using antibiotics 'prophylactically' - every day of your life (in case you get a sore throat).

Professor Dave Goulson from the University of Sussex and Dr. Lynn Dicks from the University of Cambridge discuss the scientific evidence currently available on these pesticides as well as the limited data available on the population and health of hundreds of other pollinating insect species."
 
#42 ·
Re: The science behind the eu ban on neonics: Bbc radio programme

Reduction in homing flights in the honey bee Apis mellifera
after a sublethal dose of neonicotinoid insecticides


Takashi MATSUMOTO

Honey Bee Research Unit, NARO Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science, Tsukuba, Japan


Abstract
The negative effects of a commonly applied systemic insecticide, neonicotinoid, on the honey bee Apis mellifera L. are of great concern worldwide, as the use of the chemical is expanding. Recently, special attention has been paid to the sublethal effects of insecticides. An increasing number of studies has identified sublethal effects on the honey bee in the laboratory or in experimental cages, but so far, few studies have examined sublethal effects in the field. To reveal sublethal effects under field conditions, I examined whether the proportion of successful homing flights by foraging honey bees during 30 min after release decreased after bees were topically exposed to insecticides. Honey bees were treated with two types of neonicotinoid insecticide (clothianidin, Dinotefuran) and two types of previously common insecticide (etofenprox [pyrethroid] and fenitrothion [organophosphate]) at five different doses (one-half, one-fourth, one-tenth, one-twentieth, and one-fortieth of their median lethal dose - LD50).

Then the bees were released 500metres from their hives in the field. The proportions of successful homing flights by bees exposed to neonicotinoids and pyrethroid decreased with doses of one-tenth LD50 (2.18 ng/ head for clothianidin, 7.5 ng/ head for dinotefuran) or more and one-fourth LD50 (32.5 ng/ head for pyrethroid) or more, respectively, whereas bees exposed to organophosphate did not significantly show a response at any sublethal dose though the trend in decline appeared to.

Flight times were not significantly different among treatments at any dose. These results indicate that neonicotinoid and pyrethroid exposure reduced successful homing flights at doses far below the LD50 in the field. Moreover, neonicotinoid caused reductions at relatively lower exposure than pyrethroid.

Key words: nonlethal, pollinator, insecticide, clothianidin, dinotefuran, pyrethroid, etofenprox.
 
#44 ·
New Science study links bee-killing neonics to mass death of waterlife

Originally posted by borderbeeman

http://m.guardian.co.uk/environment/...ebrate-die-off



Damian Carrington

The world's most widely used neonicotinoid insecticide is devastating dragonflies, snails and other water-based species, a ground-breaking Dutch study has revealed. http://www.plosone.org/article/info%...l.pone.0062374

On Monday, the insecticide and two others were banned for two years from use on some crops across the European Union, due to the risk posed to bees and other pollinators, on which many food crops rely.

However, much tougher action in the form of a total worldwide ban is needed, according to the scientist who led the new study.

"We are risking far too much to combat a few insect pests that might threaten agriculture," said Dr Jeroen van der Sluijs at Utrecht University. "This substance should be phased out internationally as soon as possible."

The pollution was so bad in some places that the ditch water in fields could have been used as an effective pesticide, he said.

Van der Sluijs added that half the 20,000 tonnes of the imidacloprid produced each year is not affected by the EU ban. It is used not to treat crops, but to combat fleas and other pests in cattle, dogs and cats. "All this imidacloprid ends up in surface water," he said.

The research, published in the peer-reviewed journal PLOS One, found that 70% less invertebrate species were found in water polluted with the insecticide compared to clean water. There were also far fewer individuals of each species in the polluted water.

"This is the first study to show this happens in the field," van der Sluijs said. "As well as killing mayflies, midges and molluscs, the pollution could have a knock-on effect on birds such as swallows that rely on flying insects for food[/B]", he added.



"Bee-harming pesticides are now leaking into water where they are affecting wildlife," said Friends of the Earth's Paul de Zylva. "This study shows safety levels for chemicals are being routinely breached. Apart from not being properly tested for their risk to bees and other wildlife, pesticides are being used significantly above safe levels and without proper enforcement."

Julian Little, spokesman for Bayer Cropscience, which manufactures imidacloprid, said:
"There doesn't appear to be anything hugely surprising in this article. It shows the presence of high levels of insecticide in water can have effects on aquatic insects and other invertebrates. Should we have strong stewardship of insecticides to minimise any contamination of water? Yes we should and yes we do."


The research combined results from wildlife and water pollution surveys at 700 sites across the Netherlands conducted between 1998 and 2009. It found a very strong correlation between high levels of imidacloprid pollution and low numbers of invertebrates. In water exceeding the Dutch national pollution limit, just 17 species were found on average, whereas 50 species were found in cleaner water.

Van der Sluijs said it was highly likely the insecticide was causing the invertebrate die-offs, because imidacloprid was already known to be acutely toxic to these species and is by far the greatest pollutant in the waters.
"Of all the chemicals, it is one of the prime suspects and when you look at the level of exceedence - often 100 times above national limits - it is suspect number one," he said.

The scientists found several cases of extreme pollution, with imidacloprid levels 25,000 times the limit.

"The field-water contained so much insecticide that it could actually be used directly as a lice-control pesticide," van der Sluijs said. "A bee or bumblebee drinking that water would die within a day."

The extreme cases were all found close to greenhouses, in which imidacloprid is added to the water used to water the plants.

The EU standard for imidacloprid pollution is five times higher than the Dutch limit - 67 nanogram per litre versus 13 ng/l - but even water meeting this standard proved toxic for many species. Water meeting the EU standard has 50% less species that were found in the cleaner water.

Van der Sluijs said the imidacloprid pollution appeared to break existing EU law:

"In my view the present use of imidacloprid is not consistent with what the law says: that the product should not have unnacceptable impacts on non-target organisms."

He blamed the underlying problem on imidacloprid's extreme potency in killing invertebrates and its long persistence in soil and water. He said there was also a "system error" in the way that pesticides are authorised in the EU, which, for example, assesses only their effect in individual crops, not any cumulative impact.

A recent report by MPs on the UK parliament's green watchdog, the environmental audit committee, concluded that the EU approval process for pesticides was flawed and opaque. "The entire pesticide approval process needs an urgent overhaul," said de Zylva.
 
#45 ·
USGS has created interactive pesticide-usage maps for the 459 most-used pesticides in the USA - a stupendous piece of work.

hphttp://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/pnsp/usage/maps/compound_listing.php


Imidacloprid use for USA - 2009

Henk Tennekes has commented that there is a correlation between the annual use of Imidacloprid and Clothianidin with the geographical occurrence of CCD; I cannot verify this as I am on vacation and only have intermittent laptop use but it would be a nice project for someone to see if there is a geographical correlation.
 
#46 ·
Re: New Science study links bee-killing neonics to mass death of waterlife

A few days ago Randy Oliver told us why this Dutch study didn't really demonstrate the neonics were responsible for the invertebrate die-offs:
http://community.lsoft.com/scripts/wa-LSOFTDONATIONS.exe?A2=ind1305&L=BEE-L&D=1&O=D&P=122164

Excerpt: "The authors were not out to determine the causes of species decline, but rather only looked to see whether imidacloprid appeared to have any statistical correlation. The authors make this clear. The point being that since imidacloprid is associated with bulb growing, one would expect to find higher concentrations of it in bulb-growing areas (the southwest of the Netherlands). However, in those same areas one would also expect to see high concentrations of some of the other up to 600 different compounds monitored, including insecticides, herbicides, surfactants, fertilizers, etc. The study did not address the contribution by any of these other compounds. I personally have been involved in stream monitoring in California, and have plenty of experience in seeing streams nearly devoid of aquatic life. No pesticides need be involved--simple exposure to fertilizers or road runoff may be enough."
 
#48 ·
Re: Monsanto GMO products contribute to ccd

http://topinfopost.com/2013/05/28/russia-warns-obama-monsanto

"The shocking minutes relating to President Putin’s meeting this past week with US Secretary of State John Kerry reveal the Russian leaders “extreme outrage” over the Obama regimes continued protection of global seed and plant bio-genetic giants Syngenta and Monsanto in the face of a growing “bee apocalypse” that the Kremlin warns “will most certainly” lead to world war."
 
#51 ·
Re: Monsanto GMO products contribute to ccd

http://topinfopost.com/2013/05/28/russia-warns-obama-monsanto

"The shocking minutes relating to President Putin’s meeting this past week with US Secretary of State John Kerry reveal the Russian leaders “extreme outrage” over the Obama regimes continued protection of global seed and plant bio-genetic giants Syngenta and Monsanto in the face of a growing “bee apocalypse” that the Kremlin warns “will most certainly” lead to world war."
This entire incident appears to have been made up.
 
#50 ·
Re: Monsanto GMO products contribute to ccd

Japan has already canceled a large US wheat order today based upon fears of GMO contamination of the US wheat supply and Korea is expected to do the same...

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/30/us-wheat-asia-idUSL3N0EB1JC20130530

"State agriculture department Director Katy Coba said 85 to 90 percent of the Pacific Northwest's soft white wheat crop is exported to Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and other nations, where it's used to make noodles and crackers. Oregon's wheat crop is valued at $300 million to $500 million annually, depending on yield and price.

"Clearly there's a concern about market reaction," Coba said. "Japan and Korea jump out. They do not want genetically-engineered food, they do not want genetically-engineered wheat. They could shut off the market to us."

"A 2005 study estimated that the national wheat industry could lose $94 to $272 million annually if GE wheat were introduced, because many markets oppose or prohibit modified crops, according to the Center for Food Safety."

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2013/05/genetically_engineered_wheat_f.html#comments
 
#53 ·
AHPA Speaks Out Against GM Bees, Calls For More Research On GMO's

"Whereas genetically engineered honeybees could have devastating economic implications to the value and the marketability of honey and honeybee products, and enormous economic costs to the bee industry due to the intellectual property rights laws of genetically engineered organisms (beekeepers may not be able to openly breed their own bees because of royalties to a genetic monopoly), therefore be it resolved that the AHPA goes on record as strongly opposing the testing, development, and release of genetically engineered honeybees."

https://c.ymcdn.com/sites/ahpanet.site-ym.com/resource/resmgr/AHPA_Documents/AHPAResolutions2013.pdf
 
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