Want to know why the honeybees are dying

beecrofter expounded:

No kidding. But that's a direct blow to the chemical industry, and we can't have that now, can we [rolls eyes]

I had a woman at the McLaughlin Gardens up in Paris, Maine tell me about the wonders of Merit and using it for dealing with the lily beetles. People have no clue.

If I could make it just kill the lily beetles, I'd be very happy. But since I know better, I have dispensed with my liliums.

I have a fully blooming garden with squash and cucmbers flowering and I have yet to see one single bee this year.

Johnny

Take a male flower and break it off and use it as the brush to bring some pollen to the female flowers

Do you want to hear something sad? Over thirty years ago I worked for a Bayer subsidiary, Cutter/Haver-Lockhart, animal health division, as a quality control inspector.

I still remember and quote often, old Bob, the head of R&D, jokingly telling the drones...."Dammit boys and girls, I want that data to match these results." Was it an effing joke?

The stain and shame remains with me to this day. Every time I see or hear the name Bayer I feel dirty.

That was the end of the Yellow Brick Road for me. We went back to the farm, so to speak, and pulled in the edges around us.

They Care Only for the Profits CHarlie

beecrofter expounded:

Or find your local beekeeping association and become a beekeeper. It's fun, educational, and good for your garden!

Cheryl Isaak expounded:

Yea, I gave mine up, too. Nasty little bastards! :o(

Everytime I voice my opinon regarding this, my reply is removed from the server.

So, you fill in the blanks.

Answer: Control of farming industry and negating any local gardening by the consumer. How would you as a controlling participant, in such, attack this issue? Dave

Talk to John Bachman. He is the IPM pro here. He doesn't go for the simple over-kill fix. He's in for the long term. John, come on in and join the conversation.

- Bill Coloribus gustibus non disputatum (mostly)

Take a look at the March/April 2007 issue.

Thanks for that, Bill, very interesting and informative. Emilie NorCal

- Bill Coloribus gustibus non disputatum (mostly)

OTOH, I am seeing all kinds of bumblebees this spring. Ingrid

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List at

I'm saving moths something I never did. Bumblebees are about as usual. Started up my bug light outside our front door to to prevent those moths from killing themselves seeking the light.

Bill

Thank you for the link to Dr. Mussen. Salon.com published a panel discussion including Dr. Mussen. Interesting reading as the panelists parse through the various theories and media reports.

You can read it here:

That would have been me. I wish I had learned this *before* I started with them, rather than learning it on the job. I grew up with the Dupont "Better Living Through Chemistry" school of thought and teaching.

Corp Watch is a good reference and I use it often, when making decisions about products. It is sad, and maddening, that it takes so much research to make informed and responsible purchasing decisions. We oftimes think we are about to make a responsible choice, but when you go to digging around, you sometimes encounter the darkness, several layers deep, in the corporate structure.

Yet, general awareness *seems* to be increasing, thanks to the efforts of people who are beginning to bang a few pots. Around these here parts, even the generation older than I, the true old geezers, are starting to fart in the general direction of the crooked bastids.

Care Charlie