GaSteve
12-08-2006, 09:21 PM
My son did an experiment to see if your chances of getting stung are increased by wearing deodorants, perfumes, body splashes and the like. It is a timely project given the inevitable arrival of Africanized bees here in GA.
He put a little of each substance on a denim patch, hung the patch on the end of a very long pole, and waved it in front a hive for one minute. The bees reaction was measured by counting the stingers in each patch. The plain patch had the fewest. The patch that was rubbed on bare skin definitely had more. Most of the samples were about the same as one that was rubbed on bare skin. There was one sample that was way above the others -- it was a mango body splash.
His research revealed that there is a substance in the alarm pheromone called isoamyl acetate. It is the same substance found in many food products and perfume products. It is what causes the banana smell that some beekeepers smell when near agitated bees. This substance is not found in bananas. It is however found in artificial banana flavoring. Just for morbid curiosity I put two drops of artificial banana flavoring on a patch. Within 20 seconds of putting it in front of the hive, the air was full of really mad bees and the pole seemed way too short. smile.gif
Anyway, he won 1st place for his project (and yes I'm bragging a little).
He put a little of each substance on a denim patch, hung the patch on the end of a very long pole, and waved it in front a hive for one minute. The bees reaction was measured by counting the stingers in each patch. The plain patch had the fewest. The patch that was rubbed on bare skin definitely had more. Most of the samples were about the same as one that was rubbed on bare skin. There was one sample that was way above the others -- it was a mango body splash.
His research revealed that there is a substance in the alarm pheromone called isoamyl acetate. It is the same substance found in many food products and perfume products. It is what causes the banana smell that some beekeepers smell when near agitated bees. This substance is not found in bananas. It is however found in artificial banana flavoring. Just for morbid curiosity I put two drops of artificial banana flavoring on a patch. Within 20 seconds of putting it in front of the hive, the air was full of really mad bees and the pole seemed way too short. smile.gif
Anyway, he won 1st place for his project (and yes I'm bragging a little).