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Index of Subjects
Index of Subjects Fred has just reminded me of something I meant to comment on when it came up on the list last week -- the lack of June bug beetles. I think I saw 2 one night and none on any other night. Normally, they make nuisances of themselves on the moth sheets as they fly in by the dozens, crashing into my while I'm shooting photos. Not a one this year. Nicrophorus orbicollis burying beetles - another nuisance on the sheet -- not a one so far - usually I would have at least three or four a night. Stoneflies and Fishflies are normally abundant and also a nuisance on the sheet. Also Craneflies. So far, none on the sheet, although I found a Fishfly crawling on the grass during daylight last week. Are they late? I checked my records and most of these show up by about June 10 to 12. Is their absence due to the weather? Did something kill them? In spite of the poor turnout on the moth sheets, I will try to keep switching on the lights on what used to be a good night -- warm and humid - to see what does or does not come to the lights. bev Round Hill in summer On 6/26/14, Fred Schueler <bckcdb@istar.ca> wrote: > On 6/26/2014 6:03 PM, David & Alison Webster wrote: > >> For insect biodiversity, and perhaps much else, this will likely >> trump the combined effects of all other environmental degradations. > > * and just when the list was rejoicing in the recovery of Ospreys after > the banning of DDT. > > I imagine I could find a longterm decline in the big moths and Junebugs > in our doing-the-streets data, though these are messed up by the way the > municipality only replaces burned out streetlamps at a haphazard schedule. > > fred. > ======================================================= >> >> Yt, Dave Webster, Kentville >> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bev Wigney" <bkwigney@gmail.com> >> To: <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca> >> Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2014 2:25 PM >> Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Neonicatinoids & Fibronil >> >> >>> For further reading, I have linked to a paper stored as a .pdf on the >>> Ontario Beekeepers' Association website (see link below). >>> >>> Speaking for myself, I find much of the information in this document >>> to be very troubling. For one, the discussion of half-life in soil >>> certainly raises a red flag as far as I'm concerned. See page 3. >>> "For the most commonly used seed treatments, reported half-lives in >>> soil typically range from 200 to in excess of 1000 days." There is >>> more about the residue getting into groundwater and watersheds. >>> >>> I do wonder about all of this - not just with regard to bees, but >>> other insects as well. This will be my fifth summer at my place >>> outside Annapolis Royal. I have been putting out moth lights at night >>> each summer. The first two summers here (2010 and 2011), I was quite >>> thrilled by the moths coming to the lamps. Unfortunately, things have >>> gone downhill since then. Last summer, I tried putting up different >>> lights and it made no great improvement. Now I am at the point of >>> barely feeling it worthwhile to bother anymore. I have puzzled over >>> what is going on - if there was some kind of forestry spraying taking >>> place that I was unaware of. More recently, I've considered >>> neonicotinoids, but dismissed them as I did not think they would be in >>> use nearby. However, upon more consideration, I realize that there >>> are very large corn fields at probably well less than 500 meters >>> distance as the bee flies. After reading the linked document, I'm >>> thinking that is actually pretty close. >>> >>> Anyhow, here is the link to which I am referring: >>> >>> Journal of Applied Ecology 2013, 50, 977–987 >>> Review >>> An overview of the environmental risks posedby neonicotinoid >>> insecticides >>> Dave Goulson >>> Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Stirling, >>> Stirling, FK9 4LA, UK >>> >>> http://www.ontariobee.com/sites/ontariobee.com/files/Goulson's_review_June_2013_J_appl_Ecol.pdf >>> >>> >>> On 6/26/14, David & Alison Webster <dwebster@glinx.com> wrote: >>>> Dear All, >>>> Questions about Neonicatinoids & Fibronil came up recently just >>>> before I >>>> became aware of recent reports. >>>> >>>> http://www.environmentalleader.com/2014/06/25/clear-evidence-neonicotinoids-a-key-factor-in-bee-decline/ >>>> >>>> >>>> When there is this much smoke there must be some fire. The >>>> practice of >>>> coating seeds with a systemic insecticide, that so I understand >>>> renders all >>>> tissue of that plant toxic to insects, is in itself sufficient to set >>>> off my >>>> alarm bells. >>>> >>>> The above coupled with- >>>> http://qz.com/107970/scientists-discover-whats-killing-the-bees-and-its-worse-than-you-thought/ >>>> >>>> >>>> show that use of pesticides should be governed by restraint. >>>> >>>> As an aside, much of the pioneering research in Biological >>>> Control (AKA >>>> Integrated Pest Control) was carried out at Kentville largely with the >>>> objective, on principle, of using the least practicable quantity of >>>> pesticide. >>>> >>>> Yt, Dave Webster, Kentville >>> >>> >>> ----- >>> No virus found in this message. >>> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com >>> Version: 2014.0.4714 / Virus Database: 3972/7738 - Release Date: >>> 06/24/14 >>> >> > > > -- > ------------------------------------------------------------ > Frederick W. Schueler & Aleta Karstad > Daily Paintings - http://karstaddailypaintings.blogspot.com/ > Vulnerable Watersheds - http://vulnerablewaters.blogspot.ca/ > study our books - http://pinicola.ca/books/index.htm > RR#2 Bishops Mills, Ontario, Canada K0G 1T0 > on the Smiths Falls Limestone Plain 44* 52'N 75* 42'W > (613)258-3107 <bckcdb at istar.ca> http://pinicola.ca/ > ------------------------------------------------------------ >
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