Kingston Beekeepers

This article has been taken from Simon Eade's web blog 'The Garden of Eaden' and discusses the insecticide 'Provado'.

Anyone growing edible produce in their garden will know how important our native bees are in maximizing yields through cross pollination. However using systemic insecticides on any flowering plants can have catastrophic effects on local bee populations. Over the years the government has removed licensing for many of these indiscriminate products, but one that still remains is ‘Provado’ which notably contains the active ingredient Imidacloprid.

Provado is prodominatly marketed as a vine weevil killer, but will kill most insects that ingests it. What makes it worse is that it can remain active within the plant for up to three months at a time on a single application. However, when applied as a soil drench, Provado 'Vine weevil Killer 2' is an even bigger threat by remaining viable in the plant for up to four months.

To read the whole article, please click on this link

Also discussed in a Soil Association article here and updated here.

Kingston Beekeepers Helen Turner, Alison Derrick, John Legate, David Priest and Andy Watters, travelled up to London and lobbied their local MPs as part of the mass demonstration by British Beekeepers on Wednesday 5th November 2008.

Seen here, from left to right - Edward Davey MP for Kingston and Surbiton (and son, dressed up as a bee!) David Priest, John Legate, Helen Turner and Andy Watters

From left to right - David Priest, Alison Derrick, Helen Turner, John Legate and Andy Watters

Tim Lovett, President of the BBKA, rallies the troops, prior to delivering the signed petition to 10 Downing Street. Over 140,000 signatures were collected during the campaign. Read more here.