The Managed Pollinator CAP after Three Years: Highlights and Emerging Trends

Managed Pollinator Coordinated Agriculture Program (CAP) Updates

A National Research and Extension Initiative to Reverse Pollinator Decline

This is part of an ongoing series of updates from the Managed Pollinator CAP. Additional installments can be found at the:

CAP Updates Table of Contents

More information about the CAP can be found at:

http://www.beeccdcap.uga.edu

 


Keith S. Delaplane, Professor and CAP Director, University of Georgia


by Keith S. Delaplane, Professor and CAP Director, University of Georgia

CAP Updates: 23

  • Jointly published in

An Update on Bee Breeding Efforts in Indiana: Breeding for Resistance to Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus

Managed Pollinator Coordinated Agriculture Program (CAP) Updates

A National Research and Extension Initiative to Reverse Pollinator Decline

This is part of an ongoing series of updates from the Managed Pollinator CAP. Additional installments can be found at the:

CAP Updates Table of Contents

More information about the CAP can be found at:

http://www.beeccdcap.uga.edu


by Greg Hunt, Dave Shenefield, Krispn Given, and Jennifer Tsuruda

CAP Updates: 21

Miticide and Fungicide Interactions

Managed Pollinator Coordinated Agriculture Program (CAP) Updates

A National Research and Extension Initiative to Reverse Pollinator Decline

This is part of an ongoing series of updates from the Managed Pollinator CAP. Additional installments can be found at the:

CAP Updates Table of Contents

More information about the CAP can be found at:

http://www.beeccdcap.uga.edu


CAP Updates: 20

by Reed M. Johnson, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Jointly published in the American Bee Journal and in Bee Culture, October 2011.

There is no …

Effects of Nosema on Honey Bee Behavior and Physiology

Managed Pollinator Coordinated Agriculture Program (CAP) Updates

A National Research and Extension Initiative to Reverse Pollinator Decline

This is part of an ongoing series of updates from the Managed Pollinator CAP. Additional installments can be found at the:

CAP Updates Table of Contents

More information about the CAP can be found at:

http://www.beeccdcap.uga.edu


CAP Updates: 19

by Zachary Huang, Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, E. Lansing, MI 48824

Jointly published in the American Bee Journal and in Bee Culture

How can I tell the difference between small hive beetle larvae and wax moth larvae?

Small hive beetle larvae often congregate in corners, possibly to retain heat. This clustering distinguishes beetle larvae from wax moth larvae that are found scattered throughout weak colonies. Other distinguishing characteristics include size. Beetle larvae never reach the size of mature wax moth larvae. Also, beetle larvae have three pairs of jointed, “true” legs located behind the head. Wax moth larvae have many small, fleshy, uniform legs along the length of the body. And the bodies of beetle larvae have …

What causes purple brood (honey bee larva that looks blue or purple, instead of white)?

The plant Cyrilla racemiflora, most often called southern leatherwood or summer titi, can cause larvae to turn purple when nectar or honey made from titi is feed to larvae. In 1932, Burnside discovered titi to be the cause of poisonings of half the bee colonies in Florida that year. He named the malady, “purple brood”, because affected larvae appeared blue or purple. Burnside reported that purple brood comes on suddenly and all the colonies in the affected area develop symptoms …

Has research been done on honey bees comparing 5.4 mm comb cell size with 4.9 mm? I have heard that small cell (4.9 mm) beekeeping can control varroa mites.

Below is a listing of research into European honey bees on small cell combs. Three of the articles (1, 2, and 5) deal with small cell and varroa mites. All three conclude that small cell does not help the bees deal with varroa mites, or otherwise reduce varroa mite numbers. Article #3 shows that small cell combs do not reduce tracheal mites. Study #4 is unrelated to small cell’s effect on parasitic mites and shows that smaller combs do result …

What are small hive beetles and where did they come from?

The small hive beetle, Aethina tumida Murray, is a pest of honey bees, that was first discovered damaging honey bee colonies in Florida in the spring of 1998. It is native to South Africa. When and how it arrived in North America is unknown; however, the earliest known collection was made in 1996 in Charleston, SC. By 1999 it was established in Florida, Georgia and North and South Carolina. In 2000, it was discovered in Alabama, Ohio, Maine, Michigan, South …

What is causing the decline of honey bee populations?

The population decline of honey bees started in this country in the mid 1980’s when two new parasitic mites were introduced. Most of our bees have pretty good resistance now to one of these, the tracheal mite, but there are still some bees killed by them. The Varroa mite continues to kill our bees. We use plastic strips with chemicals in our hives to kill the mites. They have virtually wiped out the feral honey bees and the number of …

Methods for Varroa Sampling

Sampling for Varroa

Why SAMPLE in a standard way?

  • Be informed: know thy enemy!
  • Decrease use of miticides!
  • Reduce chemical residues in hive!
  • Save time and money!
  • Develop regional treatment thresholds!
  • Breed queens from colonies with low mites!


1. Sampling a Colony: Sample 300 adult
bees from one frame containing brood
(eggs, larvae or pupae).



2. 300 bees occupy a volume of 0.42 cup or
100 ml. Be careful! Bees are small, so
small changes in volume leads to large…