Seriously though, outside of a few desperate libertarians on the internet who needed not to believe it, I've never met a serious person who didn't see that likely connection.
There is evidence that neonicotinoids are harmful to bees and there is also evidence that they aren't. Why makes you so sure it's a slam dunk explanation?
Hell, even the EPA and Dept of Agriculture conducted a massive study and said it's pretty far down the list of factors in the decline of the honey bee population.
Your characterization of your two sentences and a link as a "Well thought out counter-argument" aside... it was a question you've dodged, so thanks for the answer. ;)
Hell, even the EPA and Dept of Agriculture conducted a massive study and said it's pretty far down the list of factors in the decline of the honey bee population.
[1]http://www.usda.gov/documents/ReportHoneyBeeHealth.pdf