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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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Subject:
From:
Dee Lusby <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Wed, 2 Oct 2002 21:50:52 -0700
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Hi all

Peter Borst wrote:
 We are expected to believe that a bee goes down into a
cell and "notices" that it does not properly correspond
with the cell on the opposite comb. That would presuppose
that the bee knew the orientation of the cell on the
opposite comb.

Reply:
Yes, from what I have seen and watched now, since placing
combs to center with "Y" facing down, to correct some minor
inhouse comb drawing/usage discrepancies we were having.

By positioning the foundation and combs where possible with
the "Y" down facing center within our supers I shall watch
now with the coming year our bees to see how they react as
to past years. So far I am quite pleased.

Now since the workers "notice" as you say above, Question:
Does this then help support intelligence and independent
thinking as pertains to honeybees if they do?

Peter Borst further wrote:
But there is no reason to suppose that this bee even cares
about the angle of the vertices in the bottom of the cell!
There is no evidence that she has the ability to sense such
a distinction.

reply:
Then why do the workerbees build the bottoms this way to
begin with? Why or how do the workerbees decide to build
the three "Rhombic" plates that then form the pyrimad "Y"
shaped bottom?

Something to think about, especially since much
math,architecture, medicine, science even, has come from
the study of bees and the construction of combs with this
bottom patterning.

Peter Borst additionally wrote:
The honey bee is one of the most adaptable creatures on the
planet. . .
 And we are to believe that if the angles in the bottom of
the cell are wrong, it's some sort of catastrophe?

Reply:
Yes, if they constantly have to correct our improper
positioning of their environment, not that we haven't
already made it hard on them, what with bigger is better
combs, artificial feeds, inbreeding practices, and various
doping treatments that they must constantly breath, touch
and injest.

Just what have we done right lately to help create for them
a harmonious living condition, especially if bees
supposedly harmonious with Nature are not sick nor dying
from ravages of out-of-balance pests, predators, etc.

Regards,

Dee A. Lusby


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