Anaesthetic effects of Adenia gummifera extracts on Apis mellifera

Improved honey market value due to the realisation of its many uses has resulted in many people becoming beekeepers. This has created many problems. Smoking the widely used method of harvesting honey causes veld fires in Africa and exterminates many bees annually. It causes bee absconding and bee hostility. Although some beekepers are now using smokers instead of lighting a fire, smoke particles in honey reduces its quality and consequently its market prize. Chemical repellents such as proprionic anahydride, butyric acid and benzaldehyde sold under trade names bee go, bee quick and bee robber were expected to be a solution to limitations of smoking methods however beekeepers are abandoning them because they are implicated in the pathology of diseases. These challanges are hampering the progress of bee farming and therefore calling for new ways of harvesting honey. This work reports an environmentally and bee friendly way of harvesting honey. The research finding should be interesting to beekeepers and the scientific community.

Autorentext

Pamhidzai Dzomba obtained his Masters of Science in Analytical chemistry degree in 2011. He has carried out a number of researches in chemistry. He has published several articles in reputed journals. Currently he is working at Bindura University. His interest are in natural products as sources of novel compounds to support health.