Apiculture Commons^™

Sustainable And Organic Beekeeping In Chester County, John Pisciotta

Sustainability Research & Practice Seminar Presentations

Professor John Pisciotta, Biology - Sustainable and Organic Beekeeping in Chester County

Palatability, Consumption, And Physiological Effects Of The Green Microalgae Chlorella Sp. As A Feed Substitute For The Western Honey Bee Apis Mellifera In A Laboratory Setting, Benjamin J. Nichols

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

Western honey bees Apis mellifera are vital pollinators which play a significant role in global food security. Honey bees are faced by numerous environmental pressures including lack of forage which lead to large losses annually of managed honeybee colonies. To offset these pressures, many beekeepers manage colonies with the addition of artificial diets, many of which contain products that do not meet the nutritional requirements needed by honey bees or require large amounts of resources to grow. Recent literature has indicated that algae may be a viable nutritional resource for honey bees, meeting the nutritional requirements needed, requiring less resources, …

What Makes Mad Honey “Mad”? An Investigation Into The Obsession Of The Himalayan Wild Cliff Honey, Codi Farmer

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Mad honey is a rare variety of cliff honey found in the mountainous regions of Turkey and Nepal and has been harvested by Indigenous groups for centuries. In Nepal, it is found on high-hanging cliffs that people risk their lives to face, but what makes this honey so special to cause generations of Nepalis to brave the formidable heights? Through a series of reading primary and secondary sources, watching first-hand accounts of honey hunting, and interviewing honey hunters, filmmakers, authors, and laypeople alike, I work to find the answer to the puzzling question – what makes mad honey "mad"? In …

Picking Up Where The Tmdl Leaves Off: Using The Partnership Wild And Scenic River Framework For Collaborative River Restoration, Alan R. Hunt, Meiyin Wu, Tsung-Ta David Hsu, Nancy Roberts-Lawler, Jessica T. Miller, Alessandra Rossi, Lee Lee

Department of Biology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act protects less than ¼ of a percent of the United States’ river miles, focusing on free-flowing rivers of good water quality with outstandingly remarkable values for recreation, scenery, and other unique river attributes. It predates the enactment of the Clean Water Act, yet includes a clear anti-degradation principle, that pollution should be reduced and eliminated on designated rivers, in cooperation with the federal Environmental Protection Agency and state pollution control agencies. However, the federal Clean Water Act lacks a clear management framework for implementing restoration activities to reduce non-point source pollution, of which …

Women In Beekeeping: Impacts Of A Beekeeper Educational Program, Bridget Gross

Department of Entomology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The decline in honey bee populations over the past two decades in the United States is alarming. The management provided by beekeepers to their honey bee colonies influences the survival of the colony. However, there is a lack of information on the experiences of beekeepers, specifically women beekeepers. The Center for Rural Affairs (CFRA) in Nebraska hosted the “Honey Bees on the Farm: Connecting Women Beekeepers and Women Farmers for Environmental and Economic Benefit” program that provided informal, educational events to women beekeepers and landowners. Using a convergent mixed methods design, the first research question examines the impacts of the …

Northern Giant Hornet (Vespa Mandarinia) And Yellow-Legged Hornet (Vespa Velutina), Potential Pests Of Honey Bees, Benjamin Andrew Powell

Agricultural Education

Exotic hornets present a significant threat to apiculture. Recent introductions of the yellow-legged hornet to Europe and the asian giant hornet to North America have made it critical that regulators, beekeepers and the general public be able to detect and identify these exotic hornets and to understand their biology to minimize the potential impacts to apiculture in South Carolina were they to be introduced.

An Analysis Of The History And Current Treatment Trends Of The Parasitic Mite Varroa Destructor (Acari: Varroidae) In Maine Beekeeping, Patrick Hurley

Honors College

Varroa mites, Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae), are a parasitic mite of honey bee colonies worldwide. Varroa mites feed on both adult honey bees and developing brood, easily spread between colonies, and can kill European honey bee colonies within just a few years. Beekeepers must apply mite treatments to maintain healthy colonies. This thesis is an overview of the currently available mite treatments in the United States and how they relate to Maine Beekeeping. There are three main research components of this thesis. The first is the analysis of two surveys that Maine beekeepers completed in 2019. The second is a …

Establishment Of Wildflower Islands To Enhance Roadside Health And Aesthetics, Walter Schacht, Judy Wu-Smart

Nebraska Department of Transportation: Research Reports

Wildflowers are crucial in the ecological function of the low-input roadside plant communities in terms of water andnutrient cycling, nutrient inputs such as nitrogen, total plant canopy cover, stand longevity, and provision of habitat for numerous small animals. Further, wildflowers provide critical foraging and nesting resources for birds, insects, and other wildlife. Unfortunately, habitat loss from agricultural and urban development has led to rapid population declines in wild bees and other pollinators across the US, thereby jeopardizing not only food production but also the sustainability of our natural landscapes (Kearns & Inouye, 1997). One way to mitigate wild bee decline …

Application Of Remote Sensing Technology In Water Resources Management, Mahesh Pun

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The primary goal of this dissertation was to leverage the capabilities of remote sensing technology for capturing detailed spatial information at different spatial resolutions to monitor agricultural crops and generate accurate input datasets for water resources models. This dissertation is divided into three different research studies. In the first study, a remote sensing classification method was developed for classifying irrigated and non-irrigated fields that integrates Vegetation indices with surface energy balance fluxes. The method was applied in the COHYST2010 hydrological model region with wide climate variation and to multiple growing seasons with results that were 92.1% accurate and explained 97% …

Addressing The Challenges Facing Wheat Production: Nebraska And International Breeding Efforts, Sarah Blecha

Doctor of Plant Health Program: Dissertations and Student Research

Bread wheat, Triticum aestivum L., provides 20 percent of the global daily calorie intake. It is the third most important food crop, after rice and corn. Biotic challenges significantly reduce wheat yield; chemical control can be a solution but can be cost prohibitive for subsistence farmers. For many farmers, genetic resistance to biotic stresses can be the most cost effective solution.

The International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) and the Nebraska Small Grains Breeding Program have been addressing these wheat production challenges. ICARDA is part of an international research consortium to increase wheat yield and tolerance …

Pittsburg State University Goes Native: A Study On The Resources And Wildlife Attraction Of A Native Pollinator Garden On A College Campus, Morgan Smith, Christine Brodsky

Posters

Native pollinator gardens benefit urban communities by promoting pollination and providing support for native biodiversity conservation. Urban green spaces encourage social and physical activity, promote education, and positively influence public health in urban dwellers. Many studies have been conducted in order to fully under­stand the importance of native species reintroduction. The continuous research in this area of urban ecology can lead to better conservation and sustainability practices. This paper examines what kind of resources (i.e. costs, plants, area) are required to create a pollinator/native garden on a college campus and what kind of wildlife can be attracted by the implementation …

Living With Bees: A Look Into The Relationships Between People And Native Bees In Western Nepal, Alexandra Cobb

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Nepal is home to four native species of bees and as many methods to produce and gather their honey. In recent decades, several domestic and international organizations and governments have researched bee populations and provided financial and technical support through subsidies, trainings, and materials in efforts to conserve biodiversity and develop beekeeping in Nepal. However, little attention has been given to human-bee connections, the factors that shape them, and how they can provide a lens for understanding human-environmental relationships. Thereby, this study aims to exploring a selection of people’s experience with beekeeping and perspective of bees in order to illuminate …

Residues Of Thiamethoxam And Mefenoxam In Vegetative And Floral Tissue Of Soybean At The Early Reproductive Stage Resulting From Seed Treatments, Carolina Camargo, Daniel D. Snow, Sathaporn Onanong, Thomas Hunt, Blair Siegfried

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Thiamethoxam with mefenoxam is the most widely used neonicotinoid insecticide/fungicide mixture applied to soybean (Glycine max [L]) as seed treatments. Based on the systemic nature of thiamethoxam and mefenoxam, residues of this insecticide/fungicide mixture may be present in soybean vegetative and floral tissue and negatively impact beneficial insects. Although neonicotinoids are often applied in combination with systemic fungicides, the research on ecological risks of neonicotinoids has been focused on the analysis of these compounds without considering their interaction with other agrochemicals. The objective of this study was to identify the concentration of thiamethoxam and mefenoxam in soybean flowers and …

Three Sister Crops: Understanding American Indian Agricultural Practices Of Corn, Beans And Squash, Sara Colombe, Madhav P. Nepal, Larry B. Browning, Matthew L. Miller, P. Troy White

iLEARN Teaching Resources

American Indians have practiced an inter-planting system to produce corn, beans, and squash, for generations. These crops are known as the “Three Sisters”. In this lesson developed for secondary agriscience curriculum, students will understand the past, current and future production practices of the three important crops. Students will also apply their knowledge to understand the crop selection process and relate to the changing environment.

Phylogeny And Population Genetic Analyses Reveals Cryptic Speciation In The Bombus Fervidus Species Complex (Hymenoptera: Apidae), Jonathan B. Koch, Juanita Rodriguez, James P. Pitts, James P. Strange

Ecology Center Publications

Bumble bees (Bombus Latrielle) are significant pollinators of flowering plants due to their large body size, abundant setae, and generalist foraging strategies. However, shared setal coloration patterns among closely and distantly related bumble bee species makes identification notoriously difficult. The advent of molecular genetic techniques has increased our understanding of bumble bee evolution and taxonomy, and enables effective conservation policy and management. Individuals belonging to the North American Bombus fervidus species-complex (SC) are homogenous in body structure but exhibit significant body color phenotype variation across their geographic distribution. Given the uncertainty of the genealogical boundaries within the SC, some …

Wild Bees Of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument: Richness, Abundance, And Spatio-Temporal Beta-Diversity, Olivia Messinger Carril, Terry Griswold, James Haefner, Joseph S. Wilson

All PIRU Publications

Interest in bees has grown dramatically in recent years in light of several studies that have reported widespread declines in bees and other pollinators. Investigating declines in wild bees can be difficult, however, due to the lack of faunal surveys that provide baseline data of bee richness and diversity. Protected lands such as national monuments and national parks can provide unique opportunities to learn about and monitor bee populations dynamics in a natural setting because the opportunity for large-scale changes to the landscape are reduced compared to unprotected lands. Here we report on a 4-year study of bees in Grand …

South American Leaf-Cutter Bees (Genus Megachile) Of The Subgenera Rhyssomegachile And Zonomegachile, With Two New Subgenera (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae), Víctor H. González, Terry Griswold, Michael S. Engel

All PIRU Publications

Leaf-cutter bees (genus Megachile Latreille) are among the most common and diverse group of bees. However, the identity and taxonomic placement of many species are problematic and species identification is often difficult. Some species are known only from a single specimen or from one of the sexes, and identification keys are not available for many groups. We address these taxonomic issues for the subgenera Rhyssomegachile Mitchell and Zonomegachile Mitchell, two poorly known South American lineages of leaf-cutter bees. We provide comparative diagnoses, redescriptions, illustrated identification keys, new geographical records, and designate needed neotypes for Megachile cara Mitchell, M. gigas Schrottky, …

Honey Bee And Bumble Bee Antiviral Defense, Alexander J. Mcmenamin, Daughenbaugh F. Katie, Fenali Parek, Marie C. Pizzorno, Michelle L. Flenniken

Faculty Journal Articles

Bees are important plant pollinators in both natural and agricultural ecosystems. Managed and wild bees have experienced high average annual colony losses, population declines, and local extinctions in many geographic regions. Multiple factors, including virus infections, impact bee health and longevity. The majority of bee-infecting viruses are positive-sense single-stranded RNA viruses. Bee-infecting viruses often cause asymptomatic infections but may also cause paralysis, deformity or death. The severity of infection is governed by bee host immune responses and influenced by additional biotic and abiotic factors. Herein, we highlight studies that have contributed to the current understanding of antiviral defense in bees, …

Management Implications Of Regionally-Distinct Populations Of The Blue Orchard Bee, Diane G. Alston

Funded Research Records

No abstract provided.

Rearing Queen Honey Bees: A Bullet Journal, Marianna Mead

Sweet Spot

This bullet journal documents a summer research project focused on rearing queen honey bees in Maine. Containing time logs, checklists, timelines, and pictures, this annotated journal provides information on how to rear queen honey bees. It includes details on how to make a starter hive, the dangers of disease, the benefits of queen rearing and a grafting day checklist.

Carter, Fred (Fa 1010), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

FA Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1010. Folk studies student project titled: “Bee-keeping Project,” which includes interviews and survey sheets with brief descriptions of the beekeeping culture in Taylor County, Kentucky. Sheets may include a brief description of belief or item, informant’s name, and a photo of bee culture.

Ecological Risks Of The Conventional Insecticide/Fungicide Seed Treatment Mixture Of Thiamethoxam And Mefenoxam In Soybean On Beneficial Insects, Carolina Camargo

Department of Entomology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The impact of neonicotinoid seed treatments on beneficial insects has been a controversial topic during the last years. While neonicotinoids are usually used as mixtures with systemic fungicides, few studies have examined the impact of the mixtures on beneficial insects. Pesticide mixtures can have synergistic, additive, or antagonistic effects on the toxicity of neonicotinoids on non-target species.

Thiamethoxam with mefenoxam is the most used neonicotinoid insecticide/fungicide mixture applied to soybean. Based on the systemic nature of thiamethoxam and mefenoxam, residues of this insecticide/fungicide mixture can be present in soybean vegetative and floral tissue with potential impacts to beneficial insects. This …

Commercial Land Grabs Threaten Global Food Ecosystem, Lauren Carasik

Media Presence

No abstract provided.

Using Video-Tracking To Assess Sublethal Effects Of Pesticides On Honey Bees (Apis Mellifera L.), Bethany S. Teeters, Reed M. Johnson, Marion D. Ellis, Blair D. Siegfried

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Concern about the role of pesticides in honey bee decline has highlighted the need to examine the effects of sublethal exposure on bee behaviors. The video-tracking system EthoVisionXT (Noldus Information Technologies) was used to measure the effects of sublethal exposure to tau-fluvalinate and imidacloprid on honey bee locomotion, interactions, and time spent near a food source over a 24-h observation period. Bees were either treated topically with 0.3, 1.5, and 3 μg tau-fluvalinate or exposed to 0.05, 0.5, 5.0, 50, and 500 ppb imidacloprid in a sugar agar cube. Tau-fluvalinate caused a significant reduction in distance moved at all dose …

Research Into Western Australian Honeys, Robert J G Manning

All other publications

On the 26 February 2002, the then Department of Agriculture released a media statement about the results of research conducted by Rob Manning and Nola Mercer about WA honeys’ antimicrobial activity using an assay developed in New Zealand. The research showed that Western Australian honey had some of the highest activity levels in the world due to a naturally occurring enzyme in the honey. Upon dilution of honey, the enzyme glucose oxidase produces low concentrations of hydrogen peroxide which is the source of its antimicrobial activity. It is different to Manuka (Leptospermum scoparium) honey from New Zealand which is termed …

1998 Csrees Wild Blueberry Project Results, Darrell W. Donahue, Frank A. Drummond, Alfred A. Bushway, John M. Smagula, Mary Ellen Camire, Bodhan Slabyj, Russell Hazen, Judith A. Collins, Connie S. Stubbs, David Lambert, Andrea Southworth, Walter Litten, David E. Yarborough, Timothy M. Hess, Rodney Bushway, Brian Perkins, John Jemison

Wild Blueberry Research Reports

The 1998 edition of the CSREES Wild Blueberry Project Results was prepared for the Maine Blueberry Commission and the University of Maine Blueberry Advisory Committee by researchers at the University of Maine, Orono. Projects in this report include:

1. Separation of Maggot Infested Blueberries in the IQF Processing Line

2. Assessment of Preharvest Treatments on Wild blueberry Fruit Quality

3. Blueberries as a Natural Colorant for Breakfast Cereals

4. Factors Affecting Quality of IQF Wild Blueberries

5. Control Tactics for Wild blueberry Pest Insects

6. Biology and Ecology of Wild blueberry Pest Insects

7. Sustainable Pollination of Wild blueberry

8. …

Preservation Of Wooden Hive Equipment, Lee Allan

Agriculture reports

The booklet is a compilation of jounral articles by Department of Agriculture staff. Bee keeping and wood preservation in Australia, P.J. Robinson and J.R.J. French(The Australian Bee Journal, January 1986, pp 11-14) Wood preservation in Victoria commercial apiaries, P.J. Robinson and J.R.J. French(The Australian Bee Journal, January 1986, pp 8-10) Preservation of hive equipment, T.F. Weatherhead (The Australasian Bee Journal,May 1987, pp 12-17) Preservation of beehive components, T.F. Weatherhead (The Australasian Beekeeper,September 1984, pp 52-53) Choosing paint for beehive timbers, M.J. Kennedy (The Australasian Bee keeper,September 1984, pp 52-53) Protocol for wax dipping bee equipment, G.L. Griffiths (Division of Animal …

An Inventory Of Apiculture Land Use Surveys, R C. Burking

Soil conservation survey collection

Each year the Apiculture Section of the Western Australian Department of Agriculture undertakes a series of surveys relating to flora prospects, land area suitability or wildfire damage to bee pastures. Such surveys may vary according to the requirements both in time and intensity and the report may be presented as a Departmental file comment or be of such significance to warrant a suitable publication. The Department of Agriculture is at present collating numerous surveys and reports undertaken by a variety of Research Officers in various Divisions. Computer data bases have been set up utilising the Records Management System which will …

Damage Report Of The West Coast Wildfires In The Cervantes-Hill River, North Lancelin And North Yanchep Areas January 1986 And The Effects On The Western Australian Beekeeping Industry, R C. Burking, A. C. Kessell

Apiculture research reports

No abstract provided.

A Suitability Survey Of Sections Of The Southern Goldfields Area For Use By Commercial Beekeepers 21/25 October 1985, A C. Kessell, R C. Burking

Research Reports

No abstract provided.