>Bill, I believe that refers to a total diet, not necessarily to a free-choice patty.  Allen?

I tend to agree, assuming that the diet offered is not the sole food available.

My new book does not mention toxicity under "protein" in the index, but lists many other topics under "protein".

FWIW, if beekeepers feed soy flour in open feeders, the bees are carting home a material with over 50% protein and it does not seem to hurt them.  I assume they dilute it a bit in gathering it and then eat it in combination with other foods, including sugars.

Something I failed to mention in thje previous post was that the preservatives work best in an acidic product and are ineffective in basic materials.  As for the gut of bees consuming foods, I assume (there is that word again) that bees have good buffering capabilities and can control the gut environment.  I don't know what the native pH and range of comfort of a bee gut is, but maybe deknow will assist here since that is his department.

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