Entomology Commons^™

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 …

Varroa Destructor Mites Vector And Transmit Pathogenic Honey Bee Viruses Acquired From An Artificial Diet, Francisco Posada-Florez, Eugene V. Ryabov, Matthew C. Heerman, Yanping Chen, Jay D. Evans, Daniel E. Sonenshine, Steven C. Cook

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructoris one of the most destructive pests of the honey bee (Apis mellifera) and the primary biotic cause of colony collapse in many regions of the world. These mites inflict physical injury on their honey bee hosts from feeding on host hemolymph and fat body cells/cellular components, and serve as the vector for deadly honey bee viruses, including Deformed wing virus (DWV) and the related Varroa destructor virus-1 (VDV-1) (i.e., DWV-like viruses). Studies focused on elucidating the dynamics of Varroa-mediated vectoring and transmission of DWV-like viruses may be confounded by viruses present in …

Effects Of Pesticide Residue Accumulation On Honey Bee (Apis Mellifera L.) Development & Implications For Hive Management, Jennifer Weisbrod

Department of Entomology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies face annual declines of 40% in the United States. Pesticides play a role in these losses. Pesticide residues picked up from the environment as well as beekeeper-applied compounds may accumulate within the hive. The effects of pesticide accumulation in comb on bee health mitigation of accumulation have not been well-studied. To examine pesticide exposure on health and development, chlorothalonil and the amitraz metabolite N-(2,4-dimethylphenyl) formamidine (DMPF), two pesticides found in hive products, were applied to brood comb. Queen bees were caged onto treated and control comb and egg laying and development were assessed. …

The Effects Of Oral And Venereal Transmission Of Deformed Wing Virus On Honey Bee (Apis Mellifera) Queen And Colony Health, Sarah Lang

LSU Master's Theses

Honey bees are important pollinators necessary for the production of many foods. Managed honey bee colonies have been experiencing high levels of colony loss over the last decade due to a combination of different factors. Parasites, pathogens, and queen failure are repeatedly reported as major causes for colony loss, but there is little research exploring the relationship between honey bee viruses and queens. Deformed wing virus, a major honey bee virus, has a worldwide distribution, is extremely prevalent, and can infect all castes and life stages. Honey bee queens can be infected with the virus through multiple transmission routes …

Proceedings Of The 2019 American Bee Research Conference, Michael Simone-Finstrom, Elina L. Niño, Michelle L. Flenniken, Hanna Arrowsmith, Judy Wu-Smart

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The 2019 American Bee Research Conference (ABRC) was held January 10–12, 2019 in conjunction with the annual convention of the American Honey Producers Association in Tempe, AZ. Over the three-day conference, a total of 45 oral presentations and 13 poster presentations were given, representing work done from over 27 institutions and 34 different research groups from throughout the United States and Canada. This proceedings contains and overview of the conference and the submitted abstracts for presentations given at the 2018 American Bee Research Conference.

An Updated Genetic Marker For Detection Of Lake Sinai Virus And Metagenetic Applications, Deborah D. Iwanowicz, Judy Wu-Smart, Tugce Olgun, Autumn H. Smart, Clint R.V. Otto, Dawn Lopez, Jay D. Evans, Robert Cornman

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Background. Lake Sinai Viruses (LSV) are common RNA viruses of honey bees (Apis mellifera) that frequently reach high abundance but are not linked to overt disease. LSVs are genetically heterogeneous and collectively widespread, but despite frequent detection in surveys, the ecological and geographic factors structuring their distribution in A. mellifera are not understood. Even less is known about their distribution in other species. Better understanding of LSV prevalence and ecology have been hampered by high sequence diversity within the LSV clade.

Methods. Here we report a new polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay that is compatible with currently known lineages with …

Proceedings Of The 2020 American Bee Research Conference, Bradley N. Metz, Judy Wu-Smart, Michael Simone-Finstrom

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The 2020 American Bee Research Conference (ABRC) was held on 9–10 January 2020 in conjunction with the annual convention of the American Beekeeping Federation Conference and Trade Show in Schaumburg, IL. Over the two-day conference, a total of 65 oral and poster presentations were given, representing work done from over 30 different research groups from throughout the United States and Canada. These proceedings contain the submitted abstracts for presentations given at the 2020 American Bee Research Conference.