> When prompted for real information and data.... the reps from
1stlighttrading.com went silent....  
> Their silence is speaking volumes at this time.

They are not so silent when a suitably credulous group invites them to pitch
their product.
http://www.cvbeekeepers.org/news-and-announcements
"June 2013 Guest Speakers:  Justin Brown of BEESHIELD. He will be speaking
about an anti-viral product that helps block viruses and pesticides in the
bee's system."

Just "for the record", here's their product label:
http://1stlighttrading.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525
d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/3/2/32oz-bee-shield-label.png
or
http://tinyurl.com/mtghul9

Here's some quotes from their FAQ, with my comments in square brackets:	
http://1stlighttrading.com/index.php/bee-shield-faqs/

"The properties of BEE SHIELD prevent viruses from being able to enter the
cellular structures of the bees by not allowing the viruses to attach to the
cellular walls of the bee..."  

[Here's a good animation of how a virus attaches to and invades a cell as a
refresher:

http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0073403423/student_view0/chapter17/ent
ry_of_virus_into_host_cell.html
or
http://tinyurl.com/k6l8yny 

It illustrates two different mechanisms, "injection" and "endocytosis".
There is a 3rd mechanism, "membrane fusion".
It is not at all clear how a single product/approach could be effective for
a wide range of cells and many different bee viruses. ]
 
"BEE SHIELD(tm) works by preventing the protein capsule of a virus from
being able to communicate with the glycoproteins or carbohydrate antenna of
the cellular membrane of an organism. This prevents cellular uptake of the
virus in the form of endocytosis..."

[The line above merely restates the line before, and seems to only claim
effectiveness against specifically endocytosis.  I am not sure that this is
modesty, or a lack of understanding of the various ways viruses invade
cells.]

"It doesn't allow pesticides to be able to enter into the bee's cells due to
its ability to bind to such reactive elements."

[Speaking generally, a pesticide is broken down by a Cytochrome P450
reaction into a metabolite which is then conjugated by one of a variety of
different transferase processes, so it is not at all clear what is meant by
the claim above. It sounds like the most dangerous compound to every exist,
as if it were to actually "bind to such reactive elements", it would seem to
also have to bind to food elements like sugars, and thus prevent them from
being digested.]

"Most syrups are made from high fructose corn syrup and contain trace
elements of neonicotinoids, mostly imidcloprid, and this may be one of the
reasons behind CCD (colony collapse disorder)."

[Really?  I thought that repeated testing did NOT detect pesticides in HFCS.
Mercury was found, but the HFCS refiners stopped using the non-food-grade
acid that contained the mercury right quick when the news got out.]

"BEE SHIELD(tm) helps prevent the absorption of this material into the bee's
system as well as helps transport the nutrients into their system.  So not
only does it protect but it aids in nutritional uptake."

Wow, so it blocks one way viruses invade cells, prevents absorption of the
undetectable pesticides, and helps transport nutrients?  I should take this
stuff rather than all the vitamins my wife gives me!



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