Efects of long distance transportation on honey bee physiology

USA- EFECTS OF LONG DISTANCE TRANSPORTATION ON HONEY BEE PHYSIOLOGY

Paper prepared by Kiheung Ahn, Xianbing Xie, Joseph Riddle, Jeff Pettis and Zachary Y. Huang. Please download attached document

Abstract

Despite the requirement of long distance transportation of honey bees used for pollination, we understand little how transportation affects honey bees. Three trials in three different states (CA, GA, and MI) were conducted to study the effects of long distance transportation on honey bee physiology. Newly emerged bees from one colony were split into two groups and introduced into a transported (T) colony or a stationary (S) colony in each trial. Volumes of hypopharyngeal gland acini in T colonies were significantly smaller than S colonies in all three trials. There were no significant differences between S and T colonies in juvenile hormone titers. Protein content in head showed no significant differences between S and T either in 7-day-old or 17-day-old bees of MI trial, but GA trial showed a significant reduction in bees experiencing transportation. Protein content in thorax was only measured in GA trial and was not significantly different between the two groups. Lipid content in abdomen was not significantly different between the S and T colonies in all three trials. This study suggests that bees experiencing transportation have trouble fully developing their food glands and this might affect their ability to nurse the next generation of workers.

I moved mine on the hitchhauler behind my 4 Runner in the dark of the night 50 miles. I did not realize they had a screen bottom.

For about a week, bees would just run off the board and dive into the ground. I think they must have inhaled too much exhaust.

Here's a link to the document quoted by Camero7 in post #1:
http://www.hindawi.com/journals/psyche/2012/193029/