Greets Curtis and All
 
You mention that Apis itself may be in an evolutionary cul de sac.
 
I beg to differ on a philosophical level.
 
If we look at successful organims I am tempted to classify them as
things that can use lots of resources and defend their right to do
so. Humans (depending on brand name) occupy and use lots of resources
from Antartica to the top of the other side. Rats by means of their
intelligence and adaptibility occpuy a similar niche by cohabiting
with humans. E.coli, our friendly gut bacteria manages to live at the
same range of humans by living in the human gut and actually piggy
backing on our rampant sexual nature to transfer itself regularily
throughour the human population. (I read somewhere that through a
combination of handshakes and sexual activity it takes the offspring
of one original e coli cell on a contact organ about five weeks to be
present on all continents!!)
 
But Bees such as the Apis mellifera species occupy a range from
Denmark to Cape town at the tip of africa and without man being here
they would do it just as welll if not better. (in africa bees would
love not having humans around which would make up for the little loss
in the north) A social insect, using a brain the size of a pinhead
almost has the same range as us and a better political system!!
 
Now as far as the otto cycle is concerned, when watching a beehive
one will see how bees do a 'silly thing' every now and then. They
just do something for the hell of it. Maybe they chew a hole through
the side of their tree. This makes a cold wind blow through the hive.
The next day they plug it with gum. Those are the scientist in a
beehive. They test something, it does not work, so it is fixed. The
hole was useless, but propolis that fixed it is quite a handy thing.
 
Oh well.
 
Keep well
 
Garth
Garth Cambray           Camdini Apiaries
Grahamstown             Apis mellifera capensis
Eastern Cape Prov.
South Africa
 
Time = Honey