>
> > Is it the concentration that is important or the total quantity
> gathered? The bees will concentrate it anyway, through evaporation and so
> the ppb expressed by the plant won't be the same as the ppb fed to the
> brood.


Good question Chris.  In the case of the study in question, wouldn't make
any difference, since the researchers were testing effects upon exposed
foragers, not on brood nor bees raised from exposed brood.

In addition, larvae are not fed honey.  Rather, and honey is diluted by the
nurse bees, so a concentration factor would not apply.

More generally, in typical feeding trials, the researchers use 1:1 (50%
w:w) sucrose solution.  If it were concentrated to the 83% sugar content of
honey, that would only be a concentration factor of about 1.6x, assuming
that in the process none of the pesticide was degraded.

So in answer to your question, in general, such potential concentration
would be a rather moot issue.  I hope that answers your question.

-- 
Randy Oliver
Grass Valley, CA
www.ScientificBeekeeping.com

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