Neonicotinoids Devastate Australian Beekeepers

Neonicotinoids Devastate Australian Beekeepers

Around the world, honeybee populations have been rapidly declining. Although there is an overwhelming amount of scientific research that proves the cause for this decline is due to the widespread use of systemic pesticides called neonicotinoids, industry claims that these pesticides are not the root of the problem.

In fact, many industry apologists adamantly insist that the decline is due to Varroa Mites. While Varroa Mites do greatly impact the health of the colony, it is clearly not the case when it comes to the rapidly declining honeybee population in Australia. Why? Well, there are no Varroa Mites in Australia. So, this is a moot argument in the Down Under; at least for the time being. So, what is killing the bees? In this week’s segment of The Neonicotinoid View, host June Stoyer and Colorado beekeeper, Tom Theobald talk to commercial beekeeper, Jeffrey Gibbs about Australia’s honeybee crisis. To listen to the interview, please click the play button below on the video.

“The Neonicotinoid View”, which is produced by The Organic View Radio Show is unique, weekly program that explores the impact of neonicotinoids on the environment. Tune in each week as host June Stoyer and Colorado beekeeper, Tom Theobald explore the latest research and news from the beekeeping community.

Rapid Decline Sans Varroa

Although it has been four years since Australian beekeeper, Jeffrey Gibbs first talked about the devastation he was witnessing, his message is very clear. Australians need to quickly familiarize themselves with the word neonicotinoids, understand what neonicotinoids are, how they impact honey bees as well as other pollinators and most importantly, take action. Below are some highlights from this latest interview.

JS: If this were any other industry, it would not be acceptable but yet, a 30% loss across the board seems to be the new norm.

JG: There are a lot of beekeepers avoiding farming areas. That’s a new thing in Australia for beekeepers to be running from farming areas. That is only five years old here.

JG: I wrote the first article about neonicotinoids in Australia. That was in 2011. When I wrote it, maybe 90% or more of the beekeepers in Australia, were dubious of what I was writing but the good thing about it is that they atleast heard that name neonicotinoids, that heard that the canola seed was coated, they heard that the almonds were covered in it as well as all of the other crops, so it was eye opening for them.

I think 90% of the beekeepers now in Australia are watching it very closely. More than 50% of beekeepers
in Australia are avoiding almonds, canola, etc.

It’s a type of pesticide poisoning we weren’t used to. Every beekeeper has been killed by pesticides here. You are used to going into a yard with 120 hives, when you’ve been hit by pesticides, you see dead bees all over the ground when you are walking in.

No one’s used to seeing bees just vanish. You get a really strong load of bees, you shift them
then two weeks later there are half the bees there once were. There are more and more reports of that
and they are talking amongst themselves now.

It’s almost like they need a whole lot more deaths of their bees to join in some form of unity and speak
out about it.

The beekeepers are the only ones in Australia who know the word neonicotinoids. The public in Australia
have never even heard that word before but yet it is on over 90% of our food here.

JG: I rang the APVMA (Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority) to ask them. It is not registered as a pesticide if it’s a seed coating.  Yet you can’t buy seeds anymore that are not coated in neonicotinoids here.You can from the smaller, organic suppliers but every seed in Australia…you can’t buy clover seed anymore that’s not coated in neonicotinoids. You can’t buy it. It’s not out there.

TT: I couldn’t think of a worse application either. Clover is very attractive to honeybees.

JG: The concept that clover is now poisoning our bees is obscene.

40 Million Dead Fish But No Test For Neonicotinoids Done

In one of these towns called Bourke (New South Wales) they recorded 40 million dead fish! 40 million! That’s a lot of dead fish coming out of cotton country which suddenly that river got dumped with a massive amount of insecticides in the river. I was the only one in Australia that followed the story. I was the only one who asked all the way down the chain, “was that water tested for neonicotinoids?”

Mind you, for 2000 kilometers upstream, it was the only insecticide that they were using. After, they tried to slap the Freedom Of Information Act on me. I had to get in through the back door through the water board just to ask the question, “was that water tested for neonicotinoids?”

40 million dead fish in country that was only using neonicotinoids for 2000 kilometers! The answer was no! No one tested the water for neonicotinoids!

TT: They still haven’t?

JG: No!

TT: So they would rather just let people eat those pesticides.

JG: They are swimming in it. It’s their drinking water! It’s their showering water! They have no other water but that.

JS: The same is true here!