Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => DISEASE & PEST CONTROL => Topic started by: CapnChkn on October 30, 2016, 05:51:44 pm
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In a Bee Culture "Catch the Buzz," they talk about neonicotinoids and their role in pollution in the hive. In this article they're asking whether the seeds coated with Neonics should be regulated as a pesticide under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary-federal-insecticide-fungicide-and-rodenticide-act) (FIFRA).
On one side of the dispute are the plaintiffs ? individual beekeepers, the Pollinator Stewardship Council, American Bird Conservancy, and more. Bill Ahaus of the Idaho Honey Industry Association gives his perspective for this side: ?What they?re finding is that there are very high levels of these neonicotinoids that are in the bee?s wax. They?re absorbed into the bee?s wax and what happens is that non-toxic chemical builds up in the hive to the point where the concentration is high enough to actually, if not kill them outright, at least weaken their immune systems so they fall prey to viruses.?
On the other side are the Environmental Protection Agency and associations representing seed manufacturers, ag retailers, and corn, soybean, cotton and wheat growers.