OK,, sorry about the long winded speach then. I saw Mr. Lu's picture and know he is a champion of blaming neonics, so I did not read.. I have read so many DOOM articles that I cant stomach many more.. I will go back and read it now that I know its not about the gloomy DOOM of neonics...
One of the opposite things I disagree with is the use of colony numbers to prove as fact that neonicv are not harming the bees..
In the state of Iowa last winter we experienced a 70% loss, and yet, our hive numbers have not fallen.. How is that possible? Because we split. Some bought nucs, some bought packages, etc, etc... The issue with hives and Neonics COULD be the same.. "PERHAPS' Neonics are causing added winter loss and we, the beekeepers are making up for that loss. The FACT that we have more hives now has NOTHING to do with proving neonics are not impacting our bees. I see this offered up as proof nearly everywhere, and it is VERY misleading.
I believe Neonics DO affect our colonies, but I also believe they are only part of the picture. I also believe they are, as stated above, better than any other pesticide we have pumped into the environment. Pesticides will NOT go away. The world WILL be fed, and MONEY will be made.. I KNOW for a fact, if the choice between making money and honey bee extinction was to be a choice, MONEY would win hands down..
Lu thinks there is some conspiracy against him, via the big ag companies, and to be honest, that would not surprise me in the least bit. Money is king.. THose making it will stop at nothing to KEEP making it.. However, even as backwoods as I am, I can see the issues that bring Mr. Lu's deductions into question. He may turn out to be absolutely correct, but at this point, I have not seen it, and MUST continue to support neonics as a less nasty alternative.