In this paper, the level aflatoxin mortality was tested by feeding it to bees in a candy mixture with and without the addition of propolis.  When propolis was added to the candy the bees lived longer. 

"Extracts of propolis, a complex mixture of plant-derived chemicals, including many flavonoids and other phenolic compounds, similarly ameliorated aflatoxin toxicity and delayed the onset of mortality. Collectively, these results suggest that tolerance of AB1 by honeybees may be due to P450-mediated metabolic detoxification. Propolis may serve a hitherto unrecognized role in honey bee health by enhancing the activity of P450 enzymes involved in mycotoxin detoxification."


Toxicity of mycotoxins to honeybees and its amelioration by propolis
Guodong Niu, Reed M. Johnson and May R. Berenbaum
Apidologie, (2010) 


http://www.apidologie.org/articles/apido/full_html/first/m09104/m09104.html

Bill Hesbach

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