Holistic Approach to Colony Colapse Disorder

Paul Stamets is a researcher who has found that certain types of mushrooms are able to increase the longevity of the Honey Bee. Stamets found that a certain concentrations of the red belted polypore there was a variable increase in the life span of the honey bee. Paul Stamets also found similar longevity and health of bees when he fed a concentration of reishi mushroom. The experiment that I am conducting I will be first testing to see if instead of extracting exclude from the mushroom if it is possible to create a holistic tea that the bees consume so all the health benefits of the mushroom may go into their bodies. I have three hives; one will contain only the reishi mushroom tea with the same weight of water to sugar. The second hive will contain both the red belted polypore tea which will also contain the same weight of water to sugar. The third hive is a control that has already been treated with mite solution. The two hives I will be testing are both weak hives that have only been placed this year. My hypothesis is that the tea that will be introduced to the bees will benefit the bees to be able to increase their health as well as their ability to grow. There are many types of mushrooms that have incredible health benefits. Living in Western Massachusetts there is a wide array of mushrooms that grow in our local woods. I went out with two individuals who forage for medicinal mushrooms we collected throughout out walk two types of mushrooms. Turkey tail is a mushroom that is common in Massachusetts yet it is an amazing medicinal mushroom. This mushroom has incredible Immune system boosters that when used can have major health benefits. The FDA just approved the use of these medicinal mushrooms in cancer patients as it is able to increase the immune system when the patient is undergoing chemotherapy. Chaga is another mushroom that is found on birch trees. This mushroom is used to increase the immune system. It is being tested on cancer patients to see if it can alleviate the downfalls of chemotherapy.