I picked this story up on the internet this morning. Iowa is undoubtedly one of the states most contaminated by systemic pesticides and it’s a wonder that they have any insects left at all. The honeybee population in Iowa plummeted from 70 thousand colonies in 1993 to 24 thousand colonies in 2008. The first systemic pesticide, imidacloprid, was introduced in 1994. Either intentionally or unintentionally, professor Hendrix is overlooking what is likely the most important cause of these declines.
We are perpetrating the same kind of environmental contamination right here in Boulder County with systemic pesticides, and their effect is a cause of the dismal season the bees had this year.
Plant more flowers to bring back the bees? While we’re at it, why don’t we plant more buffalo grass to bring back the buffalo?
