Bzzzzz

[mudskipper]

This bee thing - keep seeing it all over social media, but haven't paid much attention.

Just reading my MP's page on the issue - is it really another pseudo-science thing, and pesticides pose no danger to bees?

If so, why did the EU ban them in the first place?

UK suspends ban on pesticides linked to serious harm in bees | Environment | The Guardian

Answers on the buzzer please.

[MarillionFan]

Thought this was about something embarrassing that went off in your handbag

[mudskipper]

Thought this was about something embarrassing that went off in your handbag

No, mine is "whisper quiet".

HTH.

[MicrosoftBob]

I've no idea if it's a real threat or not (:

All I know is that bees are rather vital to our existence, and more importantly to my stockpiles of Mead

[MarillionFan]

I've no idea if it's a real threat or not (:

All I know is that bees are rather vital to our existence, and more importantly to my stockpiles of Mead

All the smart money is on Butter Beer now.

[EternalOptimist]

This bee thing - keep seeing it all over social media, but haven't paid much attention.

Just reading my MP's page on the issue - is it really another pseudo-science thing, and pesticides pose no danger to bees?

If so, why did the EU ban them in the first place?

UK suspends ban on pesticides linked to serious harm in bees | Environment | The Guardian

Answers on the buzzer please.

Green groups are in the business of producing scares, and it's a competitive market. All of the scares over the last 25 years have been exaggerated, some are false and some are knowingly false.
But hey, it's where the money comes from.

In the olden days, Green groups were like a kindly old uncle who had your best interests at heart, you listened to him, why wouldn't you ? Now he gets paid for every fright and every sleepless night you have.

[pjclarke]

There's solid evidence that neonicotinoids cause harm to bees, other pollinating insects and escalates up the food chain ...

REVIEW: An overview of the environmental risks posed by neonicotinoid insecticides - Goulson - 2013 - Journal of Applied Ecology - Wiley Online Library

http://www.nature.com/nature/journal...ture13531.html

In a US study half the colonies exposed to the chemical suffered 'colony collapse disorder', compared to none in the control group. Now, lab studies must be treated with caution but there was certainly enough evidence for a moratorium while more research is performed, which is what our Government, and the rest of the EU imposed. Now, after lobbying by the NFU, who see reduced yields without the chemicals, the ban has been lifted. Naturally the Government is publishing the scientific evidence behind the decision.

Another Silent Spring? | George Monbiot

Oh, and EO is quoting Matt Ridley , the self-described 'rational optimist' and the man who led Northern Rock to disaster. Not a very credible advocate, IMHO.

[EternalOptimist]

you have the timeline back to front.

the honey bee was declining, a culprit must be found, neonicotinoids was a handy whipping boy.
followed by low grade research (models as usual. computer games) followed by misleading articles.

absolutely ZERO research was done on the other (non media friendly) pollinators.


I am coming more and more to the view that The greens would actually do harm to the environment, if there was money and power in it for them

[pjclarke]

absolutely ZERO research was done on the other (non media friendly) pollinators.

Wrong again. My second link was to a study of a decline in insect - eating bird populations in areas where a neonic was deployed. 3.5% annually. I leave it to the reader to calculate how many years it will take before we would lose birdsong.

[EternalOptimist]

DEFRA performed its own peer review and decided there was insufficient evidence to instigate a complete ban, they had a temporary ban while they conducted their review.
The conclusion was that the evidence was very low quality

face it PJ, this way of doing science, getting the answer then going mining for the evidence, is just shoddy. It will lead you up the garden path 9 times out of ten
and telling people there will be no birds in a few decades is like telling them the arctic ice will be gone in 2015.

People will just ignore the ceaseless beat of scare and horror stories