Re: infor

I do all organic - so no experience w/ other products.

Pam Evans
Kemp, TX
zone 8A
----- Original Message -----
From: Cersgarden@aol.com
Sent: 6/19/2004 8:38:55 AM
To: gardenchat@hort.net
Subject: [CHAT] infor

> I am a lurker on an iris list.  I am sending a message copied from it.  What 
> are your thoughts?  I have never used this product nor have I researched the 
> use of.  The writer seems to be a very knowledgeable member of this list.
>     Ceres
> 
> Generally systemic insecticides are considered to be reasonably safe to 
> pollinators since they don't get excessive exposure via the pollen or 
> nectar, but Merit may be a bit different. The active ingredient 
> (imidacloprid) has two actions. One, at higher doses, is lethal to insects. 
> At lower doses it can affect behavior without directly killing the insect, 
> such as stopping aphids from feeding. It is the behavioral effects that are 
> of concern regarding bees since it is claimed that imidacloprid can disrupt 
> foraging activities.-- in fact some of it's uses were banned in France 
> because of complaints from beekeepers. Bayer (who make it) deny these 
> claims based on what seems like good research, and there haven't been many 
> complaints about its impact on bees in the US as far as I know. This is all 
> complicated by the fact that bee populations in the US have been decimated 
> by Varroa mites, and if colonies do decline, it could well be mites that 
> are causing it. So, as usual, the situation is murky, and it depends who 
> you believe. There are some interesting websites on this if anyone is 
> interested in digging deeper. I have a couple of research projects at the 
> moment on this compound and its effects on insects, so the area is of some 
> interest to me and all of this may be more than you wanted to know!. Bob 
> Hollingworth.
> 
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