With the help of beekeepers all over the country, we have successfully completed our second year of the Sentinel Apiary Program! In 2016, 28 beekeepers from 16 states worked with us. Together we: Sampled and monitored the health of 289 colonies Processed 1,229 samples for Varroa and Nosema Shared data from 32 hive scales Collaborated with our beekeeping neighbors to improve colony health in our regions After compiling over six months of Varroa, Nosema, and colony inspection data, we are excited to share our results (see the complete 2016 Summary Report Here). Below you can compare our Sentinel Apiary Participant's average monthly Varroa levels to the APHIS National Honey…
Signs of Spring in Florida’s Orange Groves
Florida’s winters are relatively mild and it’s hard to tell what season we’re in at times. The orange blossom is a clear sign the spring is beginning here in the Sunshine State. Along with being the State Flower of Florida, the orange blossom has helped produce a coveted honey crop for over 50 years. The fragrant blooms are irresistible for honey bees and other pollinators in the central and southern parts of the state’s peninsula. The orange blossom often begins blooming as early as the middle of January with the main nectar flow starting in the middle of February and running through the month…
2017 Spring Pollen and Nectar Source: Pussy Willow
As spring approaches and the days grow longer, more plants are starting to bloom, including pussy willows. These plants usually bloom here in Northern California between February and March. There are several species of this plant but Salix discolor is the most commonly found. I usually find these trees near water though they are also used as ornamental plantings. There is a tree in the image below in bloom. Once you get closer to the trees, you can start to see the catkins, which are unique on this plant as opposed to the alders which are also in bloom now (For more information see Ben's…
Alders Valued as Early NorCal Pollen Source
As January comes to a close and much of the country is still buried in snow, signs of spring are beginning to show here in Northern California. After receiving above-average rainfall this winter, the land feels as if it's ready to burst with life after years of severe drought. Farmers and beekeepers already have high expectations for the year as reservoirs fill and the land soaks up rainfall. Forage for bees in most of California has been been very scarce in recent years and beekeepers have relied on near year-round protein feeding. This is especially crucial in preparation for taking the bees into the almond…
Hi from Phoebe Koenig, new Midwest Tech Team Member
Hi! I’m a new member of the Midwest Tech Team, and am looking forward to meeting many of you in the future. Here is a little bit about my honey bee background and my motivation for getting involved in the Bee Informed Partnership: I first became interested in honey bees when I was taking an animal behavior class as a college undergraduate. It fascinated me that so many individuals help the queen reproduce, sacrificing their own reproduction. I wanted to learn the theories underlying this phenomenon, and found that the more I learned, the more my interest in bees was cultivated. I wanted to learn…
New Web-based Tool for Fast Identification of Bee Mites
Parasitic mites are known to be a factor in recent declines in bee pollinator populations. In particular, Varroa destructor, an introduced parasite and disease vector, has decimated colonies of the western honey bee, one of the most important agricultural pollinators in the world. Further, global trade in alternative pollinators increases the likelihood of moving mites, so there is a potential for more Varroa-style invasions. USDA’s Identification Technology Program (ITP) has released Bee Mite ID: Bee-associated Mite Genera of the World, its latest identification tool, to help biosecurity specialists and beekeepers identify the mites of greatest concern, which could help prevent such invasions. Bee Mite ID…
Want to Help Bees? – BIP Tech Team Fundraiser
Want to Help Honey Bees? DONATE! Help us expand the Bee Tech Team program to improve honey bee health and safeguard the food supply. WE NEED YOUR HELP. The success of the Bee Tech Team program has created demands beyond the scope of our existing funds. To scale our impact, we’re launching a campaign to raise 50K, a small portion of those funds. Help our campaign by donating funds and sharing our ask with others. ENGAGE. Help us spread the word by agreeing to share our campaign with your network. AMPLIFY. Provide a grant and/or matching funds to ensure the campaign’s success. HOW DO BEE TECH…
Technical Transfer Team Job Posting – We are growing!
The Bee Informed Partnership (www.beeinformed.org) is seeking additional Technical Transfer Team members to work with commercial beekeepers in the following states: Minnesota (serving beekeepers in MN and ND), Florida (serving beekeepers in FL and GA), Texas (serving beekeepers in TX and ND), and possibly two new teams in the northern Midwest and Northeast. Teams will serve beekeepers in the home states as well as when they move their colonies into almonds in California. The salary range is $40,000-42,000 (based on experience) per year and will include full medical and retirement benefits. For Minnesota, the team will be based out of the University of Minnesota. For Florida,…
Explore the BIP Database
There is a new link on our homepage titled "Explore!". Click here to explore the ever growing Bee Informed Partnership Database. Here we have new, interactive pages that allow you to view detailed honey bee health data from survey and sample efforts. You can view yearly, state loss data for the annual loss survey in an interactive map. Then, you can look at differences in loss levels based on management practices, filtering to any year or state of interest. Interested in pest levels found in your state? On our 'State Reports' page you can explore USDA APHIS honey bee survey data to find out varroa…
MOMs and BIP in one location – please stop by!
For our local supporters, MOMs Organic Market in DC is donating 5% of their proceeds this Wednesday, June 22nd, to the Bee Informed Partnership. Please shop from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Ivy City location, come and meet part of our lab team at the store, get some great food for the week and help support our work. The core mission of our nonprofit is to provide the resources needed to reduce honey bee colony loss by providing relevant, timely colony data for beekeepers to make informed management decisions. We provide educational resources and information on the importance of honey bees for our…