# Interesting article on bees and aluminum **URL:** \ **Category:** Pests and Diseases\ **Created:** [October 1, 2015, 9:32pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/interesting-article-on-bees-and-aluminum/3448 "2015-10-01T21:32:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![adagna](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/adagna/32/31728_2.png) [@adagna](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/adagna)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2015, 9:32pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/interesting-article-on-bees-and-aluminum/3448/1 "2015-10-01T21:32:22Z")
> **[Bees suffer dementia due to aluminium pollution](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3112575/Bees-suffer-dementia-metal-pollution-Aluminium-contamination-insect-decline.html)** > > Biologists at Keele University and the University of Sussex found aluminium contamination in bumblebees at levels that would cause brain damage in humans. ---
**Author:** ![JeffH](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/jeffh/32/7192_2.png) [@JeffH](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/JeffH)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2015, 11:34pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/interesting-article-on-bees-and-aluminum/3448/2 "2015-10-01T23:34:36Z")
That’s very interesting Adam, thanks for sharing. ---
**Author:** ![Faroe](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/faroe/32/11835_2.png) [@Faroe](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Faroe)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2015, 5:01pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/interesting-article-on-bees-and-aluminum/3448/3 "2015-10-02T17:01:16Z")
Wow really interesting. Where is the aluminium coming from? No wonder the bee’s are confused and can’t find their way home, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Dee](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/dee/32/5840_2.png) [@Dee](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Dee)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2015, 7:36pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/interesting-article-on-bees-and-aluminum/3448/4 "2015-10-02T19:36:23Z")
For those of you who do not live in the UK the Daily Mail has a reputation for accurate scientific reporting similar to that of The National Enquirer. They have taken a few snippets from a serious publication by Prof Dave Goulson (of Bumblebee fame) and come to their own conclusions. Even the Alzheimers society has admitted that even exhaustive investigation has shown no links between exposure to aluminium and dementia. To quote Dave Goulson et al "Our data provide preliminary evidence that exposure to aluminium may be having an adverse effect on bumblebees, for colonies with high concentrations in the pupae tended to have smaller pupae. However, no other strong effects were observed, and our data set is small. We suggest that further investigation is needed, both to find out the generality and extent of exposure of pollinators to aluminium, and to determine the consequences." The paper can be found here and is worth a read as is all the stuff Dave Goulson does. > **[Bumblebee Pupae Contain High Levels of Aluminium](http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0127665)** > > The causes of declines in bees and other pollinators remains an on-going debate. While recent attention has focussed upon pesticides, other environmental pollutants have largely been ignored. Aluminium is the most significant environmental... ---
**Author:** ![adagna](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/adagna/32/31728_2.png) [@adagna](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/adagna)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2015, 2:33am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/interesting-article-on-bees-and-aluminum/3448/5 "2015-10-03T02:33:56Z")
that source may not be so credible but there are tons of articles online. One sited research done by Keele University. I don’t know how reputable any of the sources are. People may be putting their own level of emphasis or spin on it, but there seems to be credible sources that at the very least say they are finding high levels of aluminum in bees. [http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0127665](http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0127665) > **[Aluminum: New factor in the decline of bee populations?](https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/06/150608082933.htm)** > > Very high amounts of aluminum contamination has been found in bees, raising the question of whether aluminum-induced cognitive dysfunction is playing a role in the decline of bumblebee populations. Aluminum is Earth's most ubiquitous ecotoxicant and... ---
**Author:** ![Dee](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/dee/32/5840_2.png) [@Dee](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Dee)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2015, 11:46am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/interesting-article-on-bees-and-aluminum/3448/6 "2015-10-03T11:46:14Z")
adagna, I’m not disputing that there may be a problem just pointing out that for the Daily Mail to state that bees get dementia from aluminium is not accurate. btw the first link you have is the one I posted. ---
**Author:** ![Ralfus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecae2f/32.png) [@Ralfus](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Ralfus)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2016, 12:09am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/interesting-article-on-bees-and-aluminum/3448/7 "2016-08-10T00:09:03Z")
If you were to read the original patent for the 1939 invention, you will find aluminum as the base.And some have criticised Flow for using plastic. Lost the link for the patent. Not a beek, but probably have more knowledge than most, having spent hours on this board and You Tube. God Bless Bees. ---
**Author:** ![Kirsten\_Redlich](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/kirsten_redlich/32/5093_2.png) [@Kirsten\_Redlich](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Kirsten_Redlich)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2016, 9:24am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/interesting-article-on-bees-and-aluminum/3448/8 "2016-08-10T09:24:08Z")
Knowledge comes from experience not from reading about other peoples experience alone ---
**Author:** ![Ralfus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecae2f/32.png) [@Ralfus](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Ralfus)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2016, 4:31pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/interesting-article-on-bees-and-aluminum/3448/9 "2016-08-10T16:31:32Z")
Exactly, Kirsten, No practical experience, never been stung by a bee, just head knowledge. I am mystified by many post from newbees asking "what do I do now, got my hives, how do I put them together?’ Not realizing they need at least one season to build brood and learn the craft. This forum, You Tube, FB are mines of information and I can readily see where the enthusiasm is founded. My age and ability limit me from the hobby, so I practice this hobby through the enthusiasm of others, too many to mention. Warm sunny days to all.