Rob currently works out of UC-Davis and previously worked out of the Butte County Cooperative Extension in Oroville, CA as a Crop Protection Agent. He received his B.S. in biology from Delaware Valley College, PA. There he attained a majority of his entomological knowledge from Dr. Chris Tipping and Dr. Robert Berthold. After graduation, Rob was an apiary inspector for 2 years at the Department of Agriculture in Pennsylvania. In his third year there, he still inspected some colonies but mainly focused on The Pennsylvania Native Bee Survey (PANBS) where he pinned, labeled, entered data and identified native bees to genus and species. Leo Donavall assisted him in learning the basics on positive identifications of the native bees. Around the same time Rob began working on coordinating kit construction and distribution for the APHIS National Honey Bee Survey. He was also fortunate to conduct many of these surveys with fellow co-worker Mike Andree and Nathan Rice of USDA/ARS throughout California. All of these experiences have led Rob to where he is today, working to assist beekeepers in maintaining genetic diverse colonies resistant to parasites while reducing the use of chemical treatments in colonies. The BIP Diagnostic Lab at the University of MD is in an integral part of this process by generating reports in which BIP can track change and report to beekeepers vital information in a timely manner which may influence their treatment decisions.
Robert Snyder
