re: #1201 Obdicut

A) Honeybees don’t pollinate ‘like all’ of our food. Bumblebees, soliatary bees, and carpenter bees are all pollinators as well. Other insect species are pollinators to a lesser extent.

B) Many crops are grown in a way that makes pollination of lesser importance than others. This is also important to understand. See this:

[Link: en.wikipedia.org…]

C) Whatever effects this pesticide may have, there is also a parasite actively attacking honeybee and bumblebee populations.

[Link: www.sciencedaily.com…]

All true. However and in regard to the last, the investigation that discovered the parasite has some questions attached. Not least, the primary investigator was hired by Bayer to find the cause. Yeah, it could be “if it’s our product tell us so we can fix it.”

Current estimations are that if it weren’t for the pesticide, the parasite wouldn’t be significant. The parasite’s been found in regions where honeybees are not dying off. And it’s been absent in some places where honeybees are dying off. In the latter case other elements - a fungus, for example - have been found to be filling the parasitic role.

The ingredient in common so far is Bayer’s pesticide used in the flight region (within 5 miles of the hive).

One more thing. Someone a bit upthread mentioned how the EPA didn’t do anything to block the pesticide. I will point out Bayer spent just under $9.5 Million on lobbying in 2009 alone, most of it directed at gaining exceptions to and blocking action on regulatory actions.

The current House says they’re going to further restrain the EPA. Food for thought.