[ RadSafe ] bats and Bayer

[Jeff Terry]

I have been trying to locate a reference for bats being major consumers of bees. I have found a lot of anecdotal evidence from beekeepers suggesting it is not an issue. 

I have also found a USDA sponsored document listing the majors pests of bees and I do not find bats listed in the document. 
https://agdev.anr.udel.edu/maarec/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Pests_of_Honey_Bees_PM.pdf

Jeff

On Oct 9, 2011, at 3:40 PM, James Salsman wrote:

> Peter Fear wrote:
>> Bees return to their hive at night and bats are nocturnal. How can bees be
> a major food source for bats?
> 
> They live off the stragglers that don't make it back before dark.  Those
> used to be the old and infirm bees, which was great for the bee colonies as
> well as the bats performing a herd culling function.  With the introduction
> of Bayer's nicitinoid insecticides, now the stragglers are more of the
> poisoned bees, which is bad for the bees and the bats.