Hi Juanse!

I have sat through many presentations where the presenter was inadequately prepared, and it does tend to cast a shadow over the work. However, this student has brought forth some very interesting results. Anyone who has studied nosema knows that it was first discovered among silk worms. 

> In 1865 the silk industry in France was threatened by disease that was killing the silkworm. The government commisioned Pasteur to find the cause. He moved to the south of France, the centre of silkworm breeding, to carry out his investigations. After three years he was able to anounce that he had found the parasite that was infecting the worms. One of his recomendations was the isolation and destruction of all infected silkworms. By following his advice the industry eliminated the disease.

This was before the discovery of antibiotics, of course, but what they did prove was the contagious nature of nosema and that it would not be carried by the eggs. They were able to rebuild the population using nosema free eggs from which to raise the silk worms. So, it is logical to wonder if you could raise disease free bees this way. Obviously, you can't raise them from eggs, but the next best thing would be to hatch bees in an incubator. 

What was discovered, however, is that since honey bees are a highly evolved social organism, there are certain environmental factors that need to be passed on from generation to generation, just like in a human organism. Instances of children being brought up in isolation from social interaction have shown that if socialization does not occur at the appropriate age, the individuals will not become normal adults. After a certain age is passed, the ability to acquire things like language is lost. 

Evidently, similar things need to be imparted by the colony to the newborn bees. Not language, of course, but there are no doubt many physical, epigenetic and behavioral cues that are essential for the honey bee to develop into a normal member of the honey bee colony. The bottom line is that you can't make a proper hive of bees by hatching brood in an incubator and feeding them an artificial diet.

While we are on the subject of nosema, I would like to say that the idea that nosema can be wiped out with fumigillin is a harmful notion at best. It won't work, and the widespread use of this mycotoxin does not bode well for beekeepers or the reputation of the honey industry.

> During the early 1960s, the discovery of aflatoxins associated with massive deaths of poultry, trout and other domesticated animals species worldwide raised new awareness that these fungi posed threats to foods and feeds beyond their ability to rot plant materials. Research on aflatoxins led to a so-called 'golden age' of mycotoxin research during which many new fungal toxins were discovered from species of Aspergillus and other common moulds. In addition to aflatoxins, other important Aspergillus mycotoxins include ochratoxin, patulin and fumigillin. Further, aflatoxins are potent carcinogens ... 

PLB

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