Bees, Wasps and Corn Syrup Tankers.

[Junctionfan]

Has anybody been stung or have heard of being stung by bees while switching certain food products like corn syrup and sugar?

[M636C]

While not strictly on topic, about ten years ago I went to a zoo. After looking at the animals, I bought a drink for myself and a guest. He had Coke, and found that his drink was covered by bees the moment he put it down. I bought Diet Coke which the bees ignored. My understanding is that corn syrup is the basis of the artificial sweeteners used in diet drinks, and bees aren't interested in them, they can tell real sugar.

I don't know if this extends to unprocessed corn syrup. I have seen trains loaded with bulk sugar in Queensland (Mackay), where they unload into purpose built bulk ships. I haven't seen any problem with bees there.

Peter

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by M636C

While not strictly on topic, about ten years ago I went to a zoo. After looking at the animals, I bought a drink for myself and a guest. He had Coke, and found that his drink was covered by bees the moment he put it down. I bought Diet Coke which the bees ignored. My understanding is that corn syrup is the basis of the artificial sweeteners used in diet drinks, and bees aren't interested in them, they can tell real sugar.

I don't know if this extends to unprocessed corn syrup. I have seen trains loaded with bulk sugar in Queensland (Mackay), where they unload into purpose built bulk ships. I haven't seen any problem with bees there.

Peter

I think I read somewhere that Bee's stay away from the diet drinks because they know that aspartame isn't good for their health. [:o)]

[M636C]

Mark,

Thanks for the links.

Clearly I was wrong about corn syrup and artificial sweeteners. It may have been a half understood reference to replacing sugar in soft drinks.

I don't know whether corn syrup has made the same progress in Australia. With privatisation of our former government railways, a large number of tank cars used for internal rail diesel transfer to refuelling points became surplus, and a small number of them reappeared, repainted and lettered for Cargill. I assume they washed them out.

Cane sugar is an important part of the economy in Queensland, and much effort is being made to find other uses for the product (ethanol for fuel for example). There are a number of whie painted tankers carrying straight ethanol alcohol from the sugar mills for fuel and other puposes.

Bees aren't the only fauna that aren't fooled by appearances. I have a large Apricot tree in my yard, which technically produces fruit, and a neighbour has one that does not. The local Crimson Rosellas, a big parrot coloured brilliant red and blue, and with an attractive bell like song, eat all the flowers off my apricot tree, ignoring the neighbour's tree. If they miss any flowers, they come back later for the fruit, around Christmas time here. It's hard to be upset about the birds, they are nice to have around.

Peter

[CShaveRR]

I was stung once while at work, but wasn't near any freight cars at all at the time.

I remember one switch stand on the GTW that had an enclosed metal area at its base. Hornets had built a nest in this area, using a small hole in the steel as their entryway. It gave the brakemen pause (and the switch had to be used every day). I finally brought a cork from home, and that took care of the problem. That cork was still in the stand when they abandoned the line and removed the switch, about ten years later!

Another time, a brakeman apparently tripped over something on the ground, and took off running--he wound up with about a half-dozen yellow-jacket stings. A few stops down the line, somebody gave him a piece of raw onion, which, when put on the wounds, had a soothing effect.

[Randy Stahl]

QUOTE: Originally posted by CShaveRR

A few stops down the line, somebody gave him a piece of raw onion, which, when put on the wounds, had a soothing effect.

And when the onion is then placed on a chili dog the soothing effect really kicks in.
Randy

[Mookie]

[:D]

[ChuckCobleigh]

QUOTE: Originally posted by M.W. Hemphill

... and Dr. Pepper bottled at Dublin, Texas, is famous for still insisting on cane sugar.

And believe me, you can taste the difference between a Texas Dr. Pepper and what they are selling out here on the Pacific Coast these days. Night and day! Whoever mentioned above the 1970 break point is probably right, because that is when sugared sodas definitely changed for the worse. Of course, since I can only afford the calories in the imitation sodas these days, it's all pretty moot.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ChuckCobleigh

QUOTE: Originally posted by M.W. Hemphill

... and Dr. Pepper bottled at Dublin, Texas, is famous for still insisting on cane sugar.

And believe me, you can taste the difference between a Texas Dr. Pepper and what they are selling out here on the Pacific Coast these days. Night and day! Whoever mentioned above the 1970 break point is probably right, because that is when sugared sodas definitely changed for the worse. Of course, since I can only afford the calories in the imitation sodas these days, it's all pretty moot.

I believe Coke did the transition to HFCS considerably later than 1970.....I believe they did the transition during the "new coke fiasco"...circa mid 1980's


Prior to that point, the original coke was made with old fashioned sugar...then after the outrage over new coke,...the "classic" coke, claiming to be the "original formula" was introduced, but ONLY with HFCS in lieu of common sugar...


I sure could taste the difference,...it was truly a step down....but saved a bundle of money for the makers.

[Junctionfan]

It can't be "original"really. I'm sure the D.E.A would have a lot to say if Coca-Cola started to put back cocaine in the drink.

[Anonymous]

A few years ago I was inspecting some SW1500s Conrail had for sale and we were warned by the shop folks that there were yellowjackets in some of the units that had been sitting in the deadline for a while. We were also issued hardhats for the day. There were about 25 units parked in three stub tracks. I was walking down, inspecting units as I went on the first track when I came to a unit with "Bees" and an arrow chalked on the fuel tank. so I skipped that unit thinking to myself that I knew where the yellowjackets were.

Having finished the first row of units, I started with the end unit on the next track. I walked up the back steps and opened the rear cab door and stepped inside to read the defect tag. As I walked around the cab, I noticed a sound. At first I thought it was my hardhat shifting on my head as the fit was less than perfect. As I tuned a bee flew by me. I took a step towards the door as the sound got a bit louder a more angry buzz. As I jumped out the back door and slid to the ground I saw the hive. It had been over my head and was about the size of a big cantaloupe. Needless to say I beat a hasty retreat as quite a few angry yellowjackets were buzzing all around by then. Amazingly I escaped without even one sting...

LC

[rrnut282]

LC, you're lucky. the last time I "found" some yellowjackets, it cost me a night in the hospital. At least they tell me it was only a night. The guy standing 10 feet beside me didn't make it to the hospital. Nasty little things can bite and sting at the same time, doubling your "pleasure". It was two months ago and my arms still itch.

[Junctionfan]

I had a guy in my club telling me one time that some hornets made a nest on a rarely used industry lead. It didn't surprise me too much to find out it was Redpath Sugars.

Have to hand it to them things, they adapt well. Someone told me that paper wasps have been known to build in newsprint boxcars and woodchip gondolas.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by rrnut282

LC, you're lucky. the last time I "found" some yellowjackets, it cost me a night in the hospital. At least they tell me it was only a night. The guy standing 10 feet beside me didn't make it to the hospital. Nasty little things can bite and sting at the same time, doubling your "pleasure". It was two months ago and my arms still itch.

Ouch. I didn't mention that one reason I was REALLY glad I wasn't stung is that I am quite allergic to stings. Not enough to require a trip to the ER usually, but the swelling can be spectacular.

LC

[adrianspeeder]

Things that sting dont like it when you run their home over with a tractor. I jumped off and ran. I came back later and there was like 5 stingers in the tractor seat.

Adrianspeeder

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by M.W. Hemphill

Anti -- the changeover from sucrose to HFCS ramped up quickly, but it wasn't a wholesale change overnight. The break point in the graph is 1970, when 4 billion pounds of HFCS were shipped. From there, it went to 10 billion pounds in 1980, 20 billion pounds in 1990, and 25 billion pounds in 2000.

Having to think hard on this one,..I'm a "die hard" coke person,...wish I had some "period" coke containers, to refer to the listed contents. But you may have a point.

Thinking back, I seem to recall the "pre-new coke" containers listing "and/or HFCS" (a blend using HFCS as an "extender" for the more expensive sugar) with the transition fully away from sugar being in the introduction of "classic coke"

I lived in Atlanta at the time, where people tend to take their coke on an almost religious level, and there was considerable write up in the Atlanta Journal- Constitution about the events, as well as the prevailing outrage by fellow die hards as to why the claimed "original folmula" (as "classic" coke was touted ro be) didn't taste like The REAL Thing...

As you allude to, Coke products then made in Mexico were still using sugar at the time, and I was lucky enough to latch onto a few cases,....giving all the proof the die hards needed, you could taste "the real thing" blindfolded and tell the difference...

Any idea if Coke made in Mexico still uses sugar? or have they made the switch too, by now?

[Junctionfan]

Perhaps it should be. Natural sugars are likely healthier than synthesised chemicals. I read once that a funeral home went to embalm a person and found that with all the preservatives in food he ate, they didn't need to pump much of the embalming fluids in the guy.

How rediculous is that?

[locomutt]

QUOTE: Originally posted by TheAntiGates

QUOTE: Originally posted by M.W. Hemphill

Anti -- the changeover from sucrose to HFCS ramped up quickly, but it wasn't a wholesale change overnight. The break point in the graph is 1970, when 4 billion pounds of HFCS were shipped. From there, it went to 10 billion pounds in 1980, 20 billion pounds in 1990, and 25 billion pounds in 2000.

Having to think hard on this one,..I'm a "die hard" coke person,...wish I had some "period" coke containers, to refer to the listed contents. But you may have a point.

Thinking back, I seem to recall the "pre-new coke" containers listing "and/or HFCS" (a blend using HFCS as an "extender" for the more expensive sugar) with the transition fully away from sugar being in the introduction of "classic coke"

I lived in Atlanta at the time, where people tend to take their coke on an almost religious level, and there was considerable write up in the Atlanta Journal- Constitution about the events, as well as the prevailing outrage by fellow die hards as to why the claimed "original folmula" (as "classic" coke was touted ro be) didn't taste like The REAL Thing...

As you allude to, Coke products then made in Mexico were still using sugar at the time, and I was lucky enough to latch onto a few cases,....giving all the proof the die hards needed, you could taste "the real thing" blindfolded and tell the difference...

Any idea if Coke made in Mexico still uses sugar? or have they made the switch too, by now?

This came from the business section of our local paper,from this Tues.
The owner of a store in Lawrenceville,Ga.(about 30 miles from main office)
brings 10-15 cases from Mexico each week. He says his customers like
the taste much better than the domestic Coke. The sweetener is cane sugar.

[railman]

mexican coke...don't they sell it up here at stores too?

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by railman

mexican coke...don't they sell it up here at stores too?

Columbian Coke is sold quite a bit in the U.S. and I imagine the Mexican version is too. No tax stamps on those glassine baggies so its hard to tell...

LOL...

LC

[arbfbe]

I worked for a trucking company for a while. One of the contracts they had was to transload corn sweetener from a tank car into a tank truck for delivery to a bakery. One Friday an employee left the lid open from venting the car to unload. Come Monday the car and the load were full of bees. Millions of bees had drown in the syrup. It took months before they found a pig farmer who was willing to buy the contaminated syrup to feed to his pigs. The bees were just sugar coated protien to them. The bakery didn't ship any more loads of syrup via rail either.

[mloik]

Bees and wasps - along with ants - are grouped by zoologists into a taxonomic category called the "Hymenoptera". They are highly successful creatures from an evolutionary standpoint. They occupy virtually all habitats on Earth. They eat pretty much anything they can get their mandibles on (which is to say, their specialized mouthparts).

As you know, they are involved in a cooperative relationship with flowering plants as their pollinators. The insects get pollen and nectar to eat as a reward for pollination, and the plant gets a source of pollen transfer from plant to plant. But in fact, there is much more to them.

For example, many species of wasps sting and paralyze tarantula spiders, fly off with them, find a suitable nest site, dig a hole, bury their "victim", lay an egg on it, then wait while the egg turns into a pupae, then larvae, then adult, while all the time feeding off the juicy goodness of the tarantula spider host. Diabolical!

There is a mind-boggling number and fascinating array of stories to tell about the adaptations of ants, bees, and wasps. In fact, there are so many that I will defer to a reference that (if you are so inspired) you can find at your local library: "Journey to the Ants" by Edward O. Wilson, who is himself a national treasure of biological - and Hymenoptera - lore.

In fact, in 2002 I met him in person and we talked about all sorts of things related to ecology, ants/bees/wasps, rainfall, etc, etc. Not surprisingly, he is a railfan....

ML

[Junctionfan]

The Mud Dauber Wasp likes catapillars. I think the hornet will go after things too but the eating of other insects and like creatures is usually the habit of non-social wasps. Most social wasps tend to build visable nests with the exception of the Carpenter Bee which builds it in wood and the Bumble Bee which builds in the ground.

I wonder if anybody has seen Carpenter Bees on a centerbeam flat before?

[dldance]

Many years ago, when I was a freshman in college, there was a collision between a liquified sugar truck and a truck load of wheat. The collision breached the tanker, which spilled the sugar syrup into the spilled wheat. The collision attracked every bee in the county. The city finally spread sand overtop of the mess and used a front end loader to scrape it up.

dd

ps - the bees were too busy eating to sting anyone.

[jcavinato]

In the 70s there was a derailment in a PC/Conrail yard in Downingtown, PA involving sweatener tankers (more than one). It was a mess, but they brought in a solvent that allowed it to flow like water. But the strange thing was that entomologists from Penn State University heard about it and went to the yard by the second day. They found insects that were attracted to it. Of note, some of them (the insects, that is) were native to no far north than North Carolina and had never before been seen as far north as Pennsylvania. Not one species, but many.

[Anonymous]

The old Post Office at Mance, PA had enourmous bee hives on the east side of the building.

It was not uusual to railfan there while the bees were flying overhead to the fields in the area.

One guy unwittingly opened a can of soda. The bees caught on immediately. The soda went one way, the railfan went the other.

The Rat

[Junctionfan]

At the VIA station in St.Catharines, there are a fairly large colony of carpenter bees somewhere but I don't really have to worry because there are also tons of sparrow nests about and the silly things often nip at or out right attack the bees that hover too close. It's actually funny to watch.

[fuzzybroken]

This has been quite the interesting -- and funny -- topic!!!

QUOTE: Originally posted by railman

mexican coke...don't they sell it up here at stores too?

I've often wondered why anybody would buy bottles of imported Coca-Cola rather than a case of the domestic stuff... makes sense, now I just might have to try it.

Snopes.com (http://www.snopes.com ) has an entire section ("Cokelore") about various aspects of Coca-Cola and other soft drinks. I remember reading that the Coke switch to corn syrup had less to do with Diet Coke and New Coke and more to do with corn syrup being cheaper...

QUOTE: Originally posted by jcavinato

In the 70s there was a derailment in a PC/Conrail yard in Downingtown, PA involving sweatener tankers (more than one). It was a mess, but they brought in a solvent that allowed it to flow like water. But the strange thing was that entomologists from Penn State University heard about it and went to the yard by the second day. They found insects that were attracted to it. Of note, some of them (the insects, that is) were native to no far north than North Carolina and had never before been seen as far north as Pennsylvania. Not one species, but many.

The insects must have had their own version of Trains.com Newswire!!! [swg]

Happy Thanksgiving!!!
-Mark
http://www.geocities.com/fuzzybroken