I am new to this list (as of today) so I apologize if I am repeating material
that has already been covered in previous exchanges.
 
I am not a bee researcher; rather, I study mating and aggregation behaviors in
the horse- and deerflies (Diptera: Tabanidae), as well as energetics and
thermoregulation in the males. I joined this list because there has been so
much work on temperature regulation in bees and also because I am becoming
convinced that the dynamics of the populations I study are driven by the
availability of honeydew, produced largely in coniferous forests.
 
I am posting this note to pose two questions:
 
     1) Stabentheiner and Schmaranzer (e.g. Thermology, 1987, 2: 563) have
        published some wonderful real-time thermograms of bees, using
        sophisticated thermography. I'm still at the grab-and-stab stage but
        the proximity to which I can approach some of the hovering males I
        study makes thermography very attractive.
 
        Is anyone in North America familiar with this technique or does
        anyone know who might be using it? The equipment looks expensive and
        I'd like a chance to try it out before trying to purchase it, or at
        least carefully explore its benefits and pitfalls.
 
     2) I mentioned above the importance of honeydew. There seems to be a rich
        European (particularly eastern European) and New Zealand literature on
        honeydew production in forests and its utilization by both bees and
        wasps. Is anyone in North America measuring honeydew production in
        forests? I'd be interested to be put in touch with anyone with such an
        interest.
 
Thanks,
     ...steve smith
 
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