Apples

Top US Bee Experts: Nicotine Pesticides Worsen Bee Diseases

Submitted by Kevin Hansen on February 12, 2012 - 21:34

This is a really big deal:

A team of the top United States honeybee experts at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Beltsville, Maryland, laboratory near Washington DC has published a damning report linking tiny sub-lethal concentrations of one nicotine pesticide, imidacloprid, with an increase in another common gut disease, Nosema.

Although many other studies before this suggested similar findings, the US government has been far behind - this is therefore a breakthrough. It also acknowledges some of the major work done by French researchers: until now, the groundbreaking French research was largely ignored by official US government agencies. Look for breakthroughs because of this work.

The original article linked above was released for public/open access (thanks Springer Publishing for making this open access!!). It is a top-downloaded article at this time on Springer's website.

Abstract of Original Article:

Pesticide Risk Increases Over Time

Submitted by Kevin Hansen on January 5, 2012 - 20:01

A very important shift may be occurring in our understanding of pesticides: risk may increase over time, rendering even very small amounts of pesticides such as some nicotine-based neonicotinoids much more toxic than previously realized.

Dutch researcher Dr. Henk Tennekes, with Dr. Francisco Sanchez-Bayo of Australia, have shown this in a new article in the Journal of Environmental & Analytical Toxicology: "Time-Dependent Toxicity of Neonicotinoids and Other Toxicants: Implications for a New Approach to Risk Assessment" that is an open-access research article downloadable with the link shown above. I corresponded with Dr. Tennekes, who summarized his deep concerns:

"By Dr. Henk Tennekes

AN ECOLOGICAL DISASTER THAT WILL AFFECT US ALL

Fantastic report by Dan Rather on the Honey Bee dieoff and links to pesticides

Submitted by Kevin Hansen on September 25, 2011 - 15:25

Respected US journalist Dan Rather has produced a new video segment on the dieoff of the honey bees - and the links to pesticides:

http://vimeo.com/29419200

And he has blogged about this important story on The Huffington Post at:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dan-rather/honeybees-pesticides-food-chain...

By Dan Rather

There have been numerous reports, including on our program, Dan Rather Reports, about the decline of the honeybee. They've been dying off in huge numbers. The cause has been lumped under a title called "Colony Collapse Disorder" or CCD.

The hidden beauty of pollination - an incredible TED Talk

Submitted by Kevin Hansen on June 30, 2011 - 19:49

An amazing TED talk from the creator of Wings of Life: A Love Story that Feeds the Earth

Film maker Louie Schwartzberg has been capturing stunning time-lapse cinematography of pollinators ranging from bees to bats for over 30 years. The clips from the film are stunningly amazing.

Gorgeous & the bats are so cute.

http://www.ted.com/talks/louie_schwartzberg_the_hidden_beauty_of_pollina...

Protecting Honey Bees from Chemical Pesticides by Dr. Maryann Frazier

Submitted by Pierre Terre on October 19, 2010 - 15:35

Protecting Honey Bees from Chemical Pesticides

Location: 
Agricultural Extension Office, Penn State University State College, PA
United States
40° 47' 36.222" N, 77° 51' 36.0036" W
See map: Google Maps

Location

Agricultural Extension Office, Penn State University State College, PA
United States
40° 47' 36.222" N, 77° 51' 36.0036" W
See map: Google Maps

Nicotine Bees - Trailer

Jul 09 2010
Nicotine Bees - Trailer Video Thumbnail

Buy Nicotine Bees on DVD: http://www.amazon.com/Nicotine-Bees-Kevin-Hansen/dp/B002R8AU4Y

Posted by Kevin Hansen |

New US Congress Caucus to Focus on Honey Bee Colony Collapse

Submitted by Anonymous on June 26, 2010 - 21:06

Bee colony collapse focus of new congressional caucus

By Andrew Seidman | McClatchy Newspapers

WASHINGTON — Lawmakers are rallying behind the beleaguered honeybee by creating a congressional caucus to promote research and focus attention on the troubling collapse of bee colonies.

Location

Washington DC, DC
United States
38° 53' 42.4032" N, 77° 2' 10.9176" W
See map: Google Maps

Imidacloprid Residues Found in 69% of Bees

Submitted by Pierre Terre on May 20, 2010 - 23:32

A Survey of Pesticide Residues in Pollen Loads Collected by Honey Bees in France

Read Complete Article

Location: 
Sophia-Antipolis
France
43° 37' 21.2052" N, 7° 2' 28.122" E

Location

Sophia-Antipolis
France
43° 37' 21.2052" N, 7° 2' 28.122" E

Imidacloprid contaminates the pollen of seed-coated crops : A high risk for bees

Submitted by Pierre Terre on May 20, 2010 - 23:17

Conclusions for Imidacloprid (Gaucho) :

  • A long persistence / soils (t1⁄2 = 9 months)
  • An uptake in flowers (mean level at 7 ng/g)
  • Mean level at 2-3 ng/g in pollen
  • Subletal effects at 2-4 ng/g (4 days)
  • Chronic mortality from 0.1 ng/g (10 days)
  • Main metabolites as much toxic as imidacloprid for bees
  • High risk for the beehives (PEC/PNEC >> 1)
  • Synergies with other pesticides, pathogens and parasites
  • Generalization of these results to nicotinoids and pyrazoles (clothianidin, thiamethoxam, fipronil...)
Location: 
Montpelier
France
44° 15' 36.2124" N, 72° 34' 31.3932" W

Location

Montpelier
France
44° 15' 36.2124" N, 72° 34' 31.3932" W

Understanding the Science: the Impact of Imidacloprid on Bees

Imidacloprid is the largest-selling pesticide on earth. It has been widely implicated as an important cause in honeybee death worldwide, and the Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) problem. The following describes some of the important toxic characteristics of imidacloprid.

See Also:

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