Hello All,

>Oxalic acid is hurting (weakening) bees and open a gate for secondary
diseases ( for instance - virus).

The above subject about acids has come up in beekeeping circles.

Does the use of both OA & formic acid shorten bees lives or break down
immune systems? To my knowledge research on the subject has never been done.

Research on the above has been suggested similar to the research done in
recent fructose/sucrose  research ( Dr. Pamela Gregory , Westlaco Bee Lab,
presented at the AHPA & ABF conventions and submitted for publication)  to
confirm bees live longer when fed sucrose than fructose.

Her work was a repeat of research done by the USDA-ARS in 1974 by Roy Barker
& Yolanda Lehner in the Tucson Bee lab and confirmed the earlier results.

I was so interested in Dr. Gregory's research after hearing both her
presentations at the American Beekeeping Federation convention in Austin,
Texas I traveled to Westlaco and spent the day with Dr. Gregory ,looking at
her research and tools used in her experiments.

From memory, notes, papers and photo's I have taken I believe I can
duplicate her experiments in Missouri and test longevity in honey bees (
with controls) in a variety of conditions.

bob


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