Managing Diseases and Pests of Honey Bees to Improve Queen and Colony Health

Objectives:  Develop new, cost-effective strategies for controlling parasitic mites like Varroa jacobsoni, and bacterial disease like American foulbrood (AFB); Develop molecular markers and determine gene function in honey bees as they relate to disease resistance; Develop molecular techniques to diagnose and characterize pests and pathogens of honey bees.
Investigators:

• Chen, J.
• Evans, J.D.
• Feldlaufer, M.F.
• Kochansky, J.P.
• Pettis, J.S.

Preservation of Honey Bee Germplasm

Objectives: Improve our ability to maintain specific genetic types of honey bees by developing methods for the in vitro preservation of honey bee semen. Determine the biochemical and physiological environment that enables honey bee sperm to remain viable in queen spermathecae. Develop methods for the in vitro preservation of honey bee embryos. Design and implement a germplasm collection protocol.

Investigators:

• Collins, A.M.
• Evans, J.D.