FRESNO, Calif. (AP) — Commercial beekeepers and environmental organizations filed a petition Wednesday, asking federal regulators to suspend use of a pesticide they say harms honeybees.
The group is urging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to ban the insecticide clothianidin, one of a class of chemicals that act on the central nervous system of insects.
Over 1.25 million people also submitted comments in partnership with the organizations, calling on EPA to take action.
You can read the whole story here:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...
NeoNics are used on a variety of crops, including corn, soy and cotton, in addition to melons, cucumbers potatoes, and is also used as an OTC [Over the Counter] Lawn treatment, it is used for greenhouse flowers and starts, and as a foliar spray for fruit and nut trees.
It's literally EVERYWHERE.
And because this suppresses the Bee's immune system in sublethal doses via pollen, nectar and guttation--that means that normally healthy bees become flying disease vectors of opportunistic infections.
It strange to think that constant exposure to this chemical for bees is no different than constant over-application of Anti-Biotics to livestock. The resulting, chronic health problems that occur in our bee- populations lead to the development of superbugs.
So if the clouds of talc don't wipe the poor bees out, the constant pathogen load will.
If you like to eat--save the bees.
Save the bees, save yourselves.
Imidacloprid is possibly the most widely used insecticide, both within the mode of action group and in the worldwide market. It is now applied against soil, seed, timber and animal pests as well as foliar treatments for crops including: cereals, cotton, grain, legumes, potatoes,[4] pome fruits, rice, turf and vegetables. It is systemic with particular efficacy against sucking insects and has a long residual activity. There is evidence that imidacloprid applications to rice plants turn off certain defensive genes and thereby increase the susceptibility of the rice plant to attacks by sucking insects.[5] Imidacloprid can be added to the water used to irrigate plants. Controlled release formulations of imidacloprid take 2-10 days to release 50% of imidacloprid in water.
https://en.wikipedia.org/...
The Huffpo article states: Use of clothianidin and other neonicotinoids is most worrisome, said Jim Frazier, professor of entomology at Penn State University, because the chemicals treat millions of acres of corn and other genetically modified plants throughout the U.S. Data show that the chemicals builds up over time in the soil, plants and trees, he said.
If you are interested in more information regarding NeoNics, go back a couple of diary entries and I have provided a NeoNic/Colony Collapse Disorder timeline.