North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Thomas Olenio" <tolenio@sentex.net>]

Hi,

 

According to the USDA…

 

http://www.beesource.com/pov/usda/abjfeb1977.htm

 

…“Sugars which poison bees when fed at low levels in sucrose syrup include galactose, arabinose, xylose, melibiose, mannose, raffinose, stachyose, and lactose (Barker and Lehner, 1974b; Barker 1976a). Pectin, agar, and many gums are toxic or can hydrolyze to toxic sugars. On the other hand, glucose, fructose, maltose, sucrose, melezitose, and trehalose are safe and nutritious. The reasons some sugars are poisonous at low dosages are unknown; conflicting theories have been published. Even important biochemical processes which produce honey from nectar remain cloaked in ignorance.””…

 

From the above this honey bee novice infers that glucose (gluten) is fed to commercial honey bees.

 

It would make sense that if contaminated feed grade, gluten got into the supply chain it may affect honey bees.

 

I know next to nothing about bees, and leave it to experts to figure out.

 

Later,

Tom