And that's consequential if that causes one to stop looking too early. Maybe I've missed something. Is there some persuasive evidence you can make me aware of that points to neonicotinoids likely being the primary culprit?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neonicotinoid#Decline_in_bee_p...
The linked wikipedia article says neonicotinoids' role is being studied as a cause if CCD, perhaps in combo with other factors, but doesn't draw a clear line from one to the other. However, it does, as the parent post mentions, provide some nice references for more info.
EU has banned their use for two years:
http://ec.europa.eu/food/archive/animal/liveanimals/bees/neo...
http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/topics/topic/beehealth.htm?wtrl...
Because doing so would ignore the benefits they provide. The reasons we started using them over the alternatives. Their effects are reasonably well understood, enough to use them in a likely safe manner. The EU experiment (the ban) will provide another data point to inform the cost-benefit calculus.
Relying on complete knowledge of somethings effects before use is impractical. Do you know for certain that goat milk doesn't cause Alzheimer's? No? That doesn't mean we ban its production until it is better understood. Yes, this example is a a bad one, not exactly analogous, but only because I didn't take the time to think up something better. I think the point is clear enough.