Peter quoted Smart as saying "More and/or better forage led to greater honey production and pollen collection
which in turn led to greater nutritional stores in individual bees, and an overall decreased
immune response."

What am I missing about the immune response?  Not so long ago there was discussion about some exposure of honey bees where a decreased immune response was stated to be a negative and I do not recall anyone objecting.  At the time it struck me as being a conclusion with little basis but I had no facts to support such an argument other than common sense says that lots of immune chemicals can be the result of an insult and not a result of good health.  After all, a low white blood cell count in mammals equals improved health.  It seems Smart says the exact opposite of that prior discussion.  What experimental evidence is Smart's statement based on?  Which is desirable in honey bees, a high immune response based on the amount of immune chemicals found or a low immune response based on the same?

Dick


" Any discovery made by the human mind can be explained in its essentials to the curious learner."  Professor Benjamin Schumacher talking about teaching quantum mechanics to non scientists.   "For every complex problem there is a solution which is simple, neat and wrong."  H. L. Mencken

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