From an anonymous (but reliable) source:"We are experiencing dwindling hives which seem to take a very long time to get back up in strength, after being on gaucho sprayed canola.
Seems to be coming up in the weeds the next year in the fallow paddocks as well. I am astounded by the lack of concern and the nonsense paperwork required by the Australian Government. I have the extensive Environmental Assessment Report by which the Aust Govt came to the conclusions to register Clothianidin, it reads like a nightmare for bees. Also, I am awaiting the residue reports from the same APVMA Dept in Aust. explaining the residues in the soil from Clothianidin. I see these neonics as the biggest threat to beekeepers in Australia, we have hives collapsing everywhere, we never have had this before the introduction of Neonics. I am getting the beekeepers on board one by one in Australia, though we seem to be a tad behind the rest of the world. " (Australian commercial beekeeper).
Gaucho is Bayer's trade name for Imidacloprid, a neonicotinoid insecticide used extensively as a seed dressing in the UK on Oil seed rape (Canola), maize & sugar beet. This is interesting & important as the pro pesticide lobby are constantly using varroa as an excuse for the current decline in bee populations, but as Australia & New Zealand are currently varroa free, this shoots their excuse in the foot.
Source: http://forum.downsizer.net/viewtopic.php?t=61431&start=0
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