>
> >[Propolis] obviously lacks the power to prevent foulbrood, a bacterial
> disease, and it fails to repel chalkbrood, sacbrood, and the rest (fungi,
> viruses, etc.).


Propolis is interesting, Pete.  Obviously, bees can get all the above
diseases even when propolis is present, but I would hesitate to state that
it obviously lacks any power.

One would need to do an experiment with bees in a greenhouse, such that they
could collect no propolis, and compare to those which were given some.  It
may not be a black or white situation--perhaps propolis knocks back the
parasites by some percentage.

Both the Uruguayan paper that used the ethanolic extract to suppress AFB,
and Marla Spivak's work indicate that extracts of propolis, when applied in
a hive, can effect parasites.  This indicates that there is something to the
product.

I recently collected propolis for Dr Spivak from an area where I have less
of a mite problem than in other areas.  Each propolis has a different
complement of phenols, etc.  Dr Spivak found that some had more effects upon
varroa than others.

Although propolis is likely not a panacea, it certainly would not dismiss
its potential benefits to the colony out of hand.

Randy Oliver

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