Page 8 - MGATODAY-Spr17-web
P. 8
MGA Faculty Produce Array
of Professional Work
BIOLOGY HUDDLESTON, READY, MAHAFFEE
At least as far back as the ancient Egyptians, Last year, student research focused on the
humans have been keeping honeybees medicinal uses of honey and propolis (a substance
and harvesting honey, and for the last honeybees produce from plant resins such as pine
five years so has MGA. Dr. Clinton Ready, Dr. resin or pine tar). Nine students and their faculty
Gloria Huddleston, and Margaret Mahaffee mentors studied the effects of honey or propolis
have been raising honeybees, educating students, on the growth of four different types of bacteria.
staff and the public about honeybee conservation They found that honey will prevent the growth
and pollinator decline and, more recently, of some bacterial strains within 24 hours. The
sponsoring undergraduate honeybee research students presented their findings to the Cochran
projects. The professors and students make up community at a special honeybee night sponsored
the “bee team” and do much of their work at the by the local Friends of the Library club.
campus hives, which are located in a wooded area
near a pond on the Cochran Campus. This year, students are learning to make
fondant (similar to cake icing) to offer to the
“We started the honeybee program to honeybees for spring feeding. They have divided
increase student opportunities,” Huddleston says, the fondant into four batches, three of which were
“but we also wanted to help efforts to educate the scented with different plant essential oils.
public about pollinator decline.” Students are monitoring the feeding stations to
8 MIDDLE GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY
