British beekeepers demonstrate against neonicotinoids

This video is called Beekeepers March; Action Urged Over Pesticides.

From daily The Morning Star in Britain:

Beekeepers swarm to Parliament

Friday 26 April 2013

Beekeepers and their supporters swarmed to Parliament Square today urging the government to support an EU-wide ban on certain pesticides.

Campaigners in bee costumers joined keepers donned in their protective gear.

The demonstration came ahead of a vote in Brussels on Monday which will decide whether Europe introduces a two-year moratorium on various neonicotinoid pesticides.

Buglife chief executive Matt Shardlow said 73 per cent of the public supported a ban on the insecticides and the government should follow suit.

See also here.

Related articles

• Campaigners blame pesticides for decline of bees (scotsman.com)
• Beekeepers’ Parliament protest calls for pesticides ban (telegraph.co.uk)
• Beekeepers March: Action Urged Over Pesticides (news.sky.com)
• Dr. Reese Halter: Stop Neonicotinoid Pesticides: Protestors to March in London (huffingtonpost.com)
• Beekeepers protest over pesticide (bbc.co.uk)
• Beekeeper Protest Calls for Pesticide Ban (earthfirstnews.wordpress.com)
• Bulgaria to Back EU Moratorium on Bee-Harming Neonicotinoids (novinite.com)
• Pesticides banned to save bees (express.co.uk)

Canadian caterpillars and pikas helping each other

This video from Alaska is called Collared Pika- Denali National Park.

From the University of Alberta in Canada:

Discovered: A mammal and bug food co-op in the High Arctic

University of Alberta researchers were certainly surprised when they discovered the unusual response of pikas to patches of vegetation that had previously been grazed on by caterpillars from a species normally found in the high Arctic.

U of A biology researcher Isabel C. Barrio analyzed how two herbivores, caterpillars and pikas, competed for scarce vegetation in alpine areas of the southwest Yukon. The caterpillars come out of their winter cocoons and start consuming vegetation soon after the snow melts in June. Weeks later, the pika starts gathering and storing food in its winter den. For the experiment, Barrio altered the numbers of caterpillars grazing on small plots of land surrounding pika dens.

“What we found was that the pikas preferred the patches first grazed on by caterpillars,” said Barrio. “We think the caterpillar’s waste acted as a natural fertilizer, making the vegetation richer and more attractive to the pika.”

U of A biology professor David Hik, who supervised the research, says the results are the opposite of what the team expected to find.

“Normally you’d expect that increased grazing by the caterpillars would have a negative effect on the pika,” said Hik. “But the very territorial little pika actually preferred the vegetation first consumed by the caterpillars.”

The researchers say it’s highly unusual that two distant herbivore species—an insect in its larval stage and a mammal—react positively to one another when it comes to the all-consuming survival issue of finding food.

These caterpillars stay in their crawling larval stage for up to 14 years, sheltering in a cocoon during the long winters before finally becoming Arctic woolly bear moths for the final 24 hours of their lives.

The pika does not hibernate and gathers a food supply in its den. Its food-gathering territory surrounds the den and covers an area of around 700 square metres.

The researchers say they’ll continue their work on the caterpillar–pika relationship to explore the long-term implications for increased insect populations and competition for scarce food resources in northern mountain environments.

Barrio was the lead author on the collaborative research project, which was published April 24 in the journal Biology Letters.

The pikas of this research are collared pikas. The caterpillars are of the Arctic woolly bear moth species.

Related articles

• Pikas Will Bring You Flowers (buzzfeed.com)
• Pika Lesson Plan Ideas for Pre-k Teachers (socyberty.com)
• Pikas find a home at Craters of the Moon (mysanantonio.com)
• Fluffy Caterpillars and Latin Names (6legs2many.wordpress.com)

Costa Rican ‘Peter Pan’ fairyfly discovered

From Pensoft Publishers:

Tinkerbella nana — a new representative from the world of fairyflies

A new genus and species of fairyfly, Tinkerbella nana (Mymaridae) is described from Costa Rica. It is compared with the related species Kikiki huna Beardsley and Huber, which holds the record for the smallest winged insect. The new genus and species is named after the fairy Tinker Bell in the 1904 play “Peter Pan” by J. M. Barrie. The study was published in the open access journal Journal of Hymenoptera Research.

Mymaridae, commonly known as fairyflies, are one of about 18 families of chalcid wasps. Fairyflies occur worldwide, except in Antarctica. They include the world’s smallest known winged insect – Kikiki huna, the body length of which is only 155 μm, and the smallest known adult insect – the wingless male of Dicopomorpha echmepterygis which is only 130 μm. Although fairyflies are among the most common chalcid wasps, they are seldomly noticed by humans because of their minute size. Their apparent invisibility, gracile bodies and delicate wings with long fringes resembling the mythical fairies have earned them their common name.

All but two known fairyfly species are parasitoids of eggs of other insects. These eggs are commonly laid in concealed locations, such as in plant tissues or in leaf litter or soil and are difficult to find, so for the most part the host insects of fairyflies are unknown. Specimens of the new species Tinkerbella nana were collected at the La Selva Biological Station, a lowland rainforest research and education facility owned and managed by the Organization for Tropical Studies, located in the province of Heredia, Costa Rica. They were collected by sweeping in fairly young (no more than 20 years old) secondary forest mixed with a primary forest. All the specimens collected were below 250 μm in length. The reduced wing surface and relatively long setae of fairyflies and many other minute flying insects likely have an aerodynamic function, perhaps to reduce turbulence and hence drag on a wing flapping at several hundred beats per second. The study of the new species was published in the open access journal Journal of Hymenoptera Research.

		IMAGE: This image shows the typical fairy-like habitat of Tinkerbella nana (La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica).Click here for more information.

Almost 2000 years ago, Pliny the Elder (ca. 23 A.D.) stated “Rerum natura nusquam magis quam in minimis tota est” loosely translated as “Nature is nowhere as great as in its smallest.” Lacking any means of magnification, he could not possibly have seen the intricate structure and beauty of fairyflies or other minute organisms. But his statement certainly holds true.

“If something is physically possible in living things, some individuals of at least one species, extinct or extant, will likely have achieved it. So the lower size limit, by whatever measure of size is chosen, was almost certainly already evolved—somewhere, sometime. If we have not already found them, we must surely be close to discovering the smallest insects and other arthropods”, says the lead author, John Huber from Natural Resources Canada.

###

Original Source

Huber JH, Noyes JS (2013) A new genus and species of fairyfly, Tinkerbella nana (Hymenoptera, Mymaridae), with comments on its sister genus Kikiki, and discussion on small size limits in arthropods. Journal of Hymenoptera Research 32: 17. doi: 10.3897/JHR.32.4663

Related articles

• New Pen-tip Sized ‘Fairyfly’ Species Discovered In Costa Rica (natureworldnews.com)
• Giant Chalcid Wasp (Frightful Fridays! A-Z!) (mythopoeicrambling.blogspot.com)
• Don’t Let the Big Bugs Block Your View of the Little Ones in Costa Rica (adullroar.blogspot.com)
• Costa Rica proposes national network of free wireless Internet (commqueens.wordpress.com)
• Canadian organizations demand mining company cease threats against Costa Rica (insidecostarica.com)
• Canada and Costa Rica Sign Organic Food Arrangement (haccpcanada.wordpress.com)
• ++>> If you see Costa Rican Natural History: Daniel H. Janzen: 9780226393322: Books as date March 17, 2013 07:39 (hallowed2x9wk.wordpress.com)

Bumblebee on flower, video

This video shows a male white-tailed bumblebee drying itself on a flower.

The video was made by Marjo in the Netherlands.

Related articles

• Stop Bayer’s killing of bees and their censorship (dearkitty1.wordpress.com)
• Bumblebees use logic to find the best flowers (seeddaily.com)
• Bumblebee influx likely because of food (stuff.co.nz)
• Total buzz kill: Metals in flowers may play role in bumblebee decline (eurekalert.org)
• Pitt researchers find toxic metals move from soil to flowers, affecting bumblebees (triblive.com)
• Bumblebees and Farming (westlavingtonfarms.wordpress.com)
• The buzz stops here: Bumblebees are in trouble (science.nbcnews.com)
• Bumblebees Scarce in Midwest (newser.com)
• Plight of the American bumblebee: Disappearing? (qctimes.com)

New bee species named after Noam Chomsky

From Nature World News in the USA:

New Species Of Bee Named After Noam Chomsky

By James A. Foley

Apr 04, 2013 12:21 PM EDT

Noam Chomsky is not a fan of ridiculous comparisons. So it’s still unclear how he’ll take to the newly discovered species of bee that has been named after him.

The new species belongs to one of the largest genera of bees, the genus Megachile, with more than 1,500 species in at least 50 subgenera. Chomsky, on the other hand, is one of a kind.

Endemic to Texas, the newly-discovered species of leafcutter bee, Megachile chomskyi, has highly particular tastes in the sort of pollen it goes after. Having lectured, wrote and researched at the same university for more than 50 years, you might say Chomsky is endemic to MIT, where he reportedly has particular tastes in turkey sandwiches: plan, no mayo, definitely no avocado, maybe some lettuce and tomato.

An exaggeratedly long tongue and definitive jaw structure are the most prominent features of the new leafcutter bee. As it is, Chomsky’s tongue, or at least his work as a linguist, is world renowned. Though it’s probably of average size.

Noam Chomsky is a highly regarded linguist, political philosopher and historian, who has been described as the “father of modern linguistics” and the world’s “top public intellectual.”

This is not the first time an animal has been named after Chomsky. A chimpanzee who was the subject of an extended study on animal language acquisition at Colombia University was named Nim Chimpsky, a clear pun of Noam Chomsky.

In naming the new species of leafcutter bee, its discoverer, Dr. Cory Sheffield of the Royal Saskatchewan Museum, said, “In addition to naming the species after Dr. Chomsky to honor his many accomplishments, I also have been a huge fan and follower of his writings, lectures, and political views for a long time.”

Scheffield’s study of the Megachile chomskyi is published in the open access journal ZooKeys.

Related articles

• Let me introduce myself — leafcutter bee Megachile chomskyi from Texas (eurekalert.org)
• New Species of Leafcutter Bee Discovered in Texas (sciencespacerobots.com)
• | Noam Chomsky: ‘No individual changes anything alone!’ (warcrimesinternational.wordpress.com)
• | Shooting the Messenger: How Noam Chomsky is discussed! (warcrimesinternational.wordpress.com)
• Noam Chomsky on Universal Grammar (englishpost.org)
• Let me introduce myself: Leafcutter bee Megachile chomskyi from Texas (phys.org)
• The Role of the State by Noam Chomsky (zcommunications.org)

Bee-killing Bayer’s secrets revealed

This video from the USA is called EVERYTHING you have EVER WANTED to KNOW about HONEYBEES.

From Wildlife Extra:

Private letters shows pesticide companies desperate attempt to protect bee-killing pesticides.

Evidence mounting against neonicotinoids

April 2013. Late last week the Corporate Europe Observatory, a research group which works to improve the transparency in European policy making, published private letters from Syngenta and Bayer. The contents of these showed the pesticide companies forceful lobbying against a proposed European ban on neonicotinoids, a group of pesticides shown to have harmful effects on wildlife.

‘Fault lay with the farmers and not with the chemicals’

One of the letters from Bayer was addressed to European Commissioner, John Dalli, advising him that where countries had experienced honeybee deaths en mass, the fault lay with the farmers and not with the chemicals themselves. This is contradictory to the findings of the member states involved, each one placing a ban on certain uses for neonicotinoids as a result of these incidents.

Facts v lobbying

Keith Taylor, Green MEP for South-East England said “Bayer and Syngenta are looking increasingly desperate in their attempts to undermine the regulation of pesticides they produce. Unfortunately for them facts speak more loudly than all their corporate lobbying and the evidence in favour of banning Neonicotinoid use looks increasingly convincing”.

European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) report

Earlier this year, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published a report which reviewed the scientific literature surrounding risks to pollinators from the neonicotinoids, Imidacloprid, Thiamethoxam and Clothianidin. This independent scientific group which advises the European Commission, found that these toxic chemicals were a high risk to honeybees.

Bayer criticized the findings, maintaining that it “overstates the risks to honey bees”. The press release accompanying the reports stated that these risks were not acceptable; which Syngenta took offence to, asking the Director of EFSA to change it before being made public, and threatening legal action if they did not comply.

Vanessa Amaral-Rogers, Buglife‘s Pesticides Officer said “Neonicotinoids have been the focus of many recent studies published in esteemed journals such as Nature and Science. Even small amounts of the chemical have been found to have harmful effects on our wildlife. It’s time that our Government takes action to suspend these lethal insecticides immediately”.

About Bayer, from Wikipedia:

The Bayer company then [after World War I] became part of IG Farben, a German chemical company conglomerate. During World War II, the IG Farben used slave labor in factories attached to large slave labor camps, notably the sub-camps of the Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp.^[2] IG Farben owned 42.5% of the company that manufactured Zyklon B,^[3] a chemical used in the gas chambers of Auschwitz and other extermination camps. After World War II, the Allies broke up IG Farben and Bayer reappeared as an individual business. The Bayer executive Fritz ter Meer, sentenced to seven years in prison by the Nuremberg War Crimes Tribunal, was made head of the supervisory board of Bayer in 1956, after his release.^[4]

Pesticide Suspected in Bee Die-Offs Could Also Kill Birds: here.

Related articles

• Stop Bayer’s killing of bees and their censorship (dearkitty1.wordpress.com)
• Bayer corporation censors honeybee science (dearkitty1.wordpress.com)
• Greenpeace Calls for EU Ban on Seven Pesticides Due to Bee Risk – Bloomberg (bloomberg.com)
• Save honeybees, Internet petition (dearkitty1.wordpress.com)
• Pesticide makers propose plan to avoid ban (guardian.co.uk)
• Ban pesticides to save bees, say MPs (bbc.co.uk)
• Frontline Online: What’s killing our bees? (theecologist.org)
• Pesticides Definitively Linked to Bee Colony Collapse (anh-usa.org)
• Prominent Beekeepers Blame Pesticides for Bee Decline (theepochtimes.com)

Bee-killing pesticides out of British supermarkets

This video is called Science Bulletins: Bee Deaths Linked to Common Pesticides.

From Wildlife Extra:

Waitrose removes three neonicotinoids from supply chain

Buglife delighted that Waitrose remove dangerous neonicotinoid products from supply chain

April 2018. Following on from The UK Parliament’s Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) recommendation that the use of toxic insecticides, known as neonicotinoids, be suspended, supermarket giant Waitrose is asking all of its suppliers of fruit, vegetables and flowers to avoid the use of three formulations of neonicotinoid based pesticides on crops destined for the supermarket. The move comes in light of concerns about their effects on bees, butterflies and other important pollinators.

‘Seven Point Plan for Pollinators‘

Under a ‘Seven Point Plan for Pollinators’ (see below) that begins immediately, farmers supplying Waitrose are to stop using three systemic formulations of neonicotinoids by the end of 2014 at the latest. The three formulations – imidacloprid, clothianidin and thiamethoxam – will no longer be used on crops attractive to bees and other pollinators. The restriction on use is a precautionary measure and will remain in place until scientists can demonstrate conclusively whether or not the formulations are adversely affecting populations of pollinator insects.

The approach will also be rolled out progressively to commodity crops such as oil seed rape on the Waitrose Farm at Leckford in Hampshire and as soon as practicable to other areas of the arable sector that supply Waitrose.

Buglife delighted that Waitrose remove dangerous neonicotinoid products from supply chain

Vanessa Amaral-Rogers, Buglife Pesticides Officer said “This is a huge step in the right direction, leading the way for other retailers to follow. By voicing their concern for pollinators they are adding pressure and weight to the campaign for a ban on the use of neonicotinoids”

…

Vanessa said “By taking these precautionary measures Waitrose have shown an admirable commitment to the long term security of our wild insect pollinator health and populations.”

Waitrose owns its own 4,000 acre farm at Leckford in Hampshire, which has been part of the John Lewis Partnership for nearly 90 years. Managed to high environmental standards, it produces a rich variety of goods for Waitrose including milk, cider, apples, mushrooms, Leckford chicken and rapeseed oil.

Research project

In addition the supermarket chain has announced that it will fund a significant research project with the University of Exeter into the effects on pollinators of multiple pesticide use. The work will look at the impact of combinations of neonicotinoids and other pesticides on pollinators. The results of the three year programme will be used to develop alternative methods of pest control.

Waitrose Director of Quality & Technical David Croft said: “We have been looking at pollinator health for some time in close collaboration with our fresh produce suppliers. Given the concern about these pesticides and the need to support pollinators we believe this is a responsible precautionary step as part of a wider, holistic approach under our seven point plan.

“The role of pollinating insects such as bees is crucial in sustaining agriculture in the long term, as part of a thriving ecosystem that will support food security, healthy diets and the wider agricultural economy.

“The current debate on the decline of pollinators has raised attention about the potential adverse impact of neonicotinoid pesticides. With this in mind, and in favour of strengthening pollinator presence, Waitrose is supporting a precautionary approach with these chemicals.”

The Waitrose Seven point plan for pollinators

Waitrose is:

Supporting the EU’s review into the use of three key neonicotinoids (imidacloprid, clothianidin and thiamethoxam), on crops attractive to bees.

Avoiding the use of these three neonicotinoids in our fruit, vegetable and flower supply chains for Waitrose products. This will focus on flowering plants attractive to pollinators and see these pesticides being phased out worldwide, beginning immediately and working over the next two seasons.

Supporting further research into pollinators through the University of Exeter. The work will look at the impact of neonicotinoids, other pesticides and the combination of both on pollinators. The results will contribute to the development of alternative methods of pest control if the chemicals are found to have long term adverse effects. This will be a three year programme of work.

Ensuring, through our farm engagement and supply chain development work via the Waitrose Farm Assessment that all fresh produce farms initially (and arable farms subsequently) monitor and develop bee/pollinator activity. This is based on our previous work with the University of Sussex, via our Agronomy Group, where Waitrose and our fresh produce suppliers work closely together to strengthen standards.

Strengthening control frameworks for our commodity crop ingredients such as wheat and oil seed rape, adopting the LEAF standard in these sectors as a proven platform for future environmental development. This will support the delivery of learnings from our produce agronomy and CEUKF activity in the arable sector. Our own Waitrose farm at Leckford is already LEAF certified for these crops.

Engaging our consumers including Waitrose Partners (who are co-owners of our business, as well as working in our business) to gather more data on pollinators, such as bees and butterflies, through their own observations. Customers will be asked to share their observations via web developments and apps that are being developed jointly with Earthwatch and the University of Sussex, to contribute to the growing fact base on pollinators and so help to frame future developments that support pollinators.

Investing in the development of organic farming to support a wide range of crops that enable choice for consumers. Our support for organic farming also extends to funding from the sale of Duchy Originals from Waitrose that, via the Prince of Wales Charitable Trust, is enabling the Soil Association to develop and share learnings from organic farming across all farming areas to support and strengthen sustainability for the future.

Study shows reproductive effects of pesticide exposure span generations: here.

Related articles

• Waitrose asks suppliers to avoid bee-harming pesticides (guardian.co.uk)
• Waitrose Bans Pesticides Linked to Bee Decline (environmentalleader.com)
• Waitrose removes three neonicotinoids from supply chain (greenreview.blogspot.com)
• Stop bee-killing pesticides, British parliamentarians say (dearkitty1.wordpress.com)
• Ban pesticides to save bees, say MPs (bbc.co.uk)
• Bee vs. Neonicotinoid (slowfoodedinburgh.wordpress.com)
• Pesticide makes bees forget the scent for food, new study finds (guardian.co.uk)
• United States bees neonicotinoid court case (dearkitty1.wordpress.com)
• Greenpeace Calls for EU Ban on Seven Pesticides Due to Bee Risk – Bloomberg (bloomberg.com)

British government damages wildlife

From Wildlife Extra:

Lydd Airport approval is a disaster for bugs

Conservation charities dismayed by Lydd airport expansion plans

April 2013. Wildlife charity, Buglife – The Invertebrate Conservation Trust is extremely disappointed that the Government has approved the expansion of Lydd Airport in Kent. The neighbouring site at Dungeness is known to be home to a number of rare and endangered invertebrates including the Sussex Emerald moth.

Alice Farr, Buglife Planning Manager said “We have opposed these plans for a number of years due to the impact of the airport on Dungeness, a habitat of international importance. This decision is a clear signal from the Government that the environment is of low priority and could be an indication of future decisions on development that are still to be taken”.

Internationally important as the largest shingle foreland in Europe

Alice said “Dungeness is internationally important as the largest shingle foreland in Europe. The area is of national and arguably international importance for invertebrates; including the Medicinal leech (Hirudo medicinalis), the Sussex Emerald moth (Thalera fimbrialis) and significant bumblebee populations including the UK Biodiversity Action Plan priority Brown-banded carder bee (Bombus humilis). Developing the airport so close to this site will have a detrimental effect for invertebrates”.

Several other Biodiversity Action Plan species are present on the site, including the White Spot moth (Hadena albimacula) and Toadflax Brocade moth (Calophasia lunula).

Kent Wildlife Trust dismay

Kent Wildife Trust has also expressed dismay at the decision by the Secretary of State to grant planning permission for the extension of the runway and enlargement of the terminal buildings at London Ashford Airport, Lydd in Kent.

Sue Young, the Trust’s Head of Conservation and Policy, said: “We are dismayed at this decision on many levels. The unique wildlife at Dungeness could be damaged irrevocably. The area is internationally important for the huge populations of breeding and wintering birds and supports a tremendous number of rare plant and insect species, some occurring nowhere else in the world.

Highly vulnerable

“The fragile shingle and open grassland habitats and the species they support are highly vulnerable; and whilst we are pleased to have secured agreement that the impacts of the airport development on these habitats will be monitored, we remain concerned that the damage will be irreversible.”

The Trust will now review the decision documents and work with partners to consider its next steps.

Related articles

• Go-ahead for Kent airport expansion angers green lobby (independent.co.uk)
• Lydd airport given permission to increase capacity (guardian.co.uk)
• Stop bee-killing pesticides, British parliamentarians say (dearkitty1.wordpress.com)
• Wind turbines, a new airport and an atomic plant threaten historic wetlands (guardian.co.uk)
• UK – Planning advice is ignored over building near nuclear sites (nuclear-news.net)
• London museum gets wildlife garden roof (dearkitty1.wordpress.com)
• Planning advice ignored over building near nuclear sites (guardian.co.uk)
• Birds, bees, aquatic life killed by neonicotinoids (dearkitty1.wordpress.com)

First chiffchaff song, first brimstone butterfly, of spring

Today was the first “real” spring day, above 20 degrees centigrade, after a cold early spring.

This is a video about a singing chiffchaff.

This morning, on my way to the railway station, I heard the first chiffchaff song. Later than in earlier years.

Later, at a pond in Santpoort, two Egyptian geese on the bank, and tufted ducks swimming.

In a garden, the first brimstone butterfly of the year.

This is a brimstone butterfly video.

Related articles

• Spring has finally sprung (sherstonwildlife.wordpress.com)
• Have you heard a Chiffchaff? (natureuncovered.wordpress.com)
• Goodbye godwits, hello oystercatchers and buzzard (dearkitty1.wordpress.com)
• Willow Warblers (parrotletsuk.typepad.com)
• Birds migrate slowly, cold spring (dearkitty1.wordpress.com)
• 100 years ago: The first chiffchaff of spring (guardian.co.uk)
• Fieldfares and Pipits. (radnorshirebirds.wordpress.com)
• 10th April 2013 (cotswoldwaterpark.wordpress.com)
• Rare stone curlews killed by cold spring (dearkitty1.wordpress.com)
• Chffchaffs come to drink at the Caravan Hide trough. (parrotletsuk.typepad.com)

Stop Bayer’s killing of bees and their censorship

This video says about itself:

The buzz about pesticides – by Nature Video

Oct 21, 2012

Bees, the most important pollinators of our crops, are in trouble. All over the world, their populations are decreasing and scientists want to know why. In this video, Nigel Raine and Richard Gill introduce us to the bumblebees they study at Royal Holloway near London. Their experiments show that two commonly used pesticides affect foraging behaviour and brood development, making bumblebee colonies more likely to fail.

Read the Nature paper here.

Translated from daily Trouw in the Netherlands:

‘Bayer corporation’s bee poison should go off the market’

Joop Bouma – 10/04/13, 15:00

The authority deciding which pesticides are permitted in the Netherlands, the Ctgb in Wageningen, should immediately prohibit the use of the insecticide imidacloprid, pending studies on the harmful effects of the neurotoxin on bees.

Nature and Environment says this after reading the scientific studies which formed the basis for the admission of the pesticide. The environmental organization calls on fruit and vegetable producers to no longer use the substance. The pesticide of manufacturer Bayer is suspected of causing much mortality among bees.

Nature and Environment received access from manufacturer Bayer to the studies in a closed reading room. They were not allowed to make copies, partly because Bayer wants to keep the studies secret to competitors.

After reading the scientific publications Nature and Environment concludes that the toxicity of the pesticide is ‘probably much greater for bees than Ctgb and Bayer claim. The organization says that the review of the studies by the Ctgb is ‘very flimsy’.

In tests with the controversial insecticide, according to Nature and Environment, ‘atypically strong’ bee species were used. Moreover, they only looked at mortality among bees and not at additional effects, such as distortion of the sense of direction. Many of the studies commissioned by Bayer lasted no longer than a few days, according to Nature and Environment. “While the effects of imidacloprid on bees take much longer to become apparent.”

“The approval for imidacloprid should be immediately suspended until we know more about its harmfulness” said Sijas Akkerman, food expert of Nature and Environment. “And the studies should be made public soon.” The Ctgb is still studying the criticism of Nature and Environment, which arrived yesterday at the pesticide authority’s. “We take this seriously and will look at it carefully.”

Today, the court in The Hague will ruling in an appeals procedure. The Bees Foundation filed suit on publication of the studies. The Ctgb decided earlier to publish part of them, but the Bees Foundation wants all studies to be available to anyone who wants to see them.

Bayer in turn in a counterclaim has asked for the studies which the Ctgb wants to publish to stay secret. Bayer offers the Bees Foundation to have access to the studies in a closed reading room, like happened with Nature and Environment. But the Bees Foundation insists on full disclosure. Nature and Environment also says that the studies should be made public as soon as possible to make scientific research and a thorough assessment possible.

Previously, the European Court had ruled that the underlying studies about another pesticide (propamocarb) must be disclosed. A European Convention requires that citizens should have free access to environmental information.

Greenpeace began a campaign yesterday about the bee mortality. The organization calls for a ban on new pesticides, like the agent of Bayer.

Meanwhile, the court in The Hague has decided that, for the time being, the studies will stay secret. On 18 June, there will again be a session about this.

About Bayer, from Wikipedia:

The Bayer company then [after World War I] became part of IG Farben, a German chemical company conglomerate. During World War II, the IG Farben used slave labor in factories attached to large slave labor camps, notably the sub-camps of the Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp.^[2] IG Farben owned 42.5% of the company that manufactured Zyklon B,^[3] a chemical used in the gas chambers of Auschwitz and other extermination camps. After World War II, the Allies broke up IG Farben and Bayer reappeared as an individual business. The Bayer executive Fritz ter Meer, sentenced to seven years in prison by the Nuremberg War Crimes Tribunal, was made head of the supervisory board of Bayer in 1956, after his release.^[4]

Pesticide Suspected in Bee Die-Offs Could Also Kill Birds: here.

Related articles

• Bayer corporation censors honeybee science (dearkitty1.wordpress.com)
• Greenpeace Calls for EU Ban on Seven Pesticides Due to Bee Risk – Bloomberg (bloomberg.com)
• US Government Sued For Pesticides Killing Millions Of Bees (collective-evolution.com)
• Save honeybees, Internet petition (dearkitty1.wordpress.com)
• Pesticides Definitively Linked to Bee Colony Collapse (anh-usa.org)
• Syngenta and Bayer’s answer to bee decline: Just plant more flowers (sott.net)
• Mood of bee tour marred by big bee losses (journalstar.com)
• Robotic Bees to Pollinate Monsanto Crops (familysurvivalprotocol.com)