View source for PMMA Combs

==Risks==

Too little knowledge is currently available on which influence polyméthapolymethyl methacrylate might have on bees and honey: It is known that polymethyl methacrylate dust and vapours are irritating for human and other mammals' mucous membranes<ref name="EPA, 1998">EPA, 1998: Toxicological review of methyl methacrylate. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. http://www.epa.gov/NCEA/iris/toxreviews/1000-tr.pdf</ref>, but, apparently, no toxicity studies neither on PMMA nor on the additives used to enhance its stability, has been performed on insects and on their behaviour in contact with honey up to now. Even if the product is reputed as of low-toxicity and very stable, there still some degree of uncertainty. The acceptance of plastic is generally low in organic beekeepers. 

A too rich feeding of the larvae may result in physiological modifications in workers, as, e.g. enlarged ovaries, which may lead the workers to behave similarly to a queen.

This kind of strong intervention by humans my delay an [[Bee Races and Natural Evolution|evolutive adaptation of Apis mellifera]]. On the other hand, varroa could well evolve to adapt to the new situation and mate earlier, which would render the invention ineffective.

Bees use comb vibrations to communicate inside the hive. Therefore, a different material may interfere with communication, as PMMA is a very rigid material and certainly behaves differently than wax. Nevertheless, a study performed with Pierco, also a rigid plastic, did not confirm this assumption.<ref name="Seely T. D., Reich A. M., Tautz J., 1995">Seely T. D., Reich A. M., Tautz J., 1995: Does plastic comb foundation hinder waggle dance
communication? http://www.apidologie.org/index.php?option=article&access=standard&Itemid=129&url=/articles/apido/pdf/2005/04/M4095.pdf</ref>
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