Hi David,

Your comments here made me think of two studies that I have been looking at recently....although they are not new studies.

From: David Neel <[log in to unmask]>
>There seems to be more and more data to support the damages of low level toxicity on the developing brood. This is suspected to be one of the causes of the weakened immune systems and increased virus loads in the adult bees.

Back in 2004, Jay Evans was looking at "probiotic" bacteria and the immune response of the bee.  The work appears to be focused towards using probiotics as a research tool and/or using them to "boost the immune system".  One of the key findings here is that (at least some) bacteria that does not cause disease elicits a similar immune system defense response as some bacteria that does cause disease (AFB in this case).

It doesn't take too much of a jump to consider that the presence of various bacteria in the hive provide a "helpful stress"....activating the immune system, and protecting the bee (brood, colony, etc).  I know Allen hates my analogies, but it reminds of when I used to have tropical (freshwater) fish as a kid.  You add some aquarium salt to the water, it irritates the skin of the fish, and they produce protective slime....which helps prevent infection.  Is a weakened immune system merely one caught unchallenged and offguard?  Do fumidil, TM, Tylan, organic acids, essential oils, affect the bacteria populations?  This study certainly doesn't come to these conclusions, but in current context, it does beg these questions.
http://ddr.nal.usda.gov/bitstream/10113/9361/1/IND43634205.pdf

The other study is from Martha Gilliam wayyyy back in 1974.  In this (and some of her related studies that are discussed and listed in the bibliography), Martha found that yeasts were rare in the guts of bees.  At least in Tucson, she was unable to find any yeasts in the guts of free flying, unfed, untreated bees.  When stressed with being caged, exposed to pesticides, fumidil, or fed, yeasts appeared in the bee gut.  It seems to me that the modern studies have found yeasts in most (if not all) samples.  Is it an indicator of stress?  Are there consequences other than what can be seen with a microscope?
http://www.tucson.ars.ag.gov/unit/Publications/PDFfiles/686.pdf

deknow

             ***********************************************
The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software.  For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html

Guidelines for posting to BEE-L can be found at:
http://honeybeeworld.com/bee-l/guidelines.htm