On Sun, 21 Apr 2013 21:12:30 +0100, Chris Hogg wrote:

On Sun, 21 Apr 2013 20:42:04 +0100, rbel wrote:

On Sun, 21 Apr 2013 19:41:23 +0100, "Pete C"
wrote:

'If' I've heard right, something called neonicotinoids (sp) are to be
banned. Does anyone know what products will disappear from garden centre
shelves?

A ban on neonicotinoids is not imminent but restrictions are being
considered at EU level at this time. Bayer, Syngenta et al and the
agriculture industry are doing their best to block/stall action, but I
think some restrictions will be phased in over time. Whilst
neonicotinoids are used in domestic products (a Bayer product that I
have used in the past, Provado, comes to mind) the real problem is the
large scale use of imidacloprid on cereal seeds - this is what is
being cited as a primary cause of the decline in the bee population.

Not sure you're right about the cereals bit - cereals are
wind-pollinated, don't produce nectar and don't attract bees, which
are the major cause of concern, but I may be wrong. OTOH oilseed rape
is extensively grown and is very attractive to bees, and a great deal
of the seed is coated with neonicotinoids, apparently.

You are correct in highlighting OSR sprayed with neonicotinoids as a
problem for bees, however it is the dust drift from large scale
treated cereal seeding that has been causing considerable concern. I
read about this in a paper published during late 2011 which was based
on research in Germany - I imagine that it will be lurking online
somewhere (perhaps defra).
--
rbel