We will bring you information on worldwide developments within the beekeeping industry and related agricultural news. We will present a brief introduction to events, developments and interesting news releases as they occur. Want information sent directly to your inbox? Sign up for our free newsletter!
Firestone, Colo., Aug. 25, 2014 – The National Honey Board is requesting proposals for research dealing with honey bee colony production. The goal of this research is to help producers maintain colony health while assuring the maintenance of honey quality. The NHB is encouraging proposals on Varroa research, but will consider proposals dealing with Acarapis woodi, Nosema ceranae, and small hive …
New findings show a surprisingly high level of genetic diversity in honeybees, and indicate that the species most probably originates from Asia, and not from Africa as previously thought. (Credit Alex Hayward) In a study published in Nature Genetics, researchers from Uppsala University present the first global analysis of genome variation in honeybees. The findings show a surprisingly high level of genetic …
Virus infections after arrival of a new parasitic mite in New Zealand honeybee colonies Honeybee colonies are dying at alarming rates worldwide. A variety of factors have been proposed to explain their decline, but the exact cause—and how bees can be saved—remains unclear. An article published on August 21st in PLOS Pathogens examines the viral landscape in honeybee colonies in New Zealand after …
Reproductive cycle triggered when colonies reach 4,000 members Honeybees build a new comb on a wooden frame of a beehive. The piece of comb on the right shows the transition from worker comb (small inner cells) to drone comb (large outer cells). Credit: Madeleine M. Ostwald When a colony of honeybees grows to about 4,000 members, it triggers an important first stage in its …
Submission Deadline September 19, 2014 The Foundation for the Preservation of Honey Bees, Inc. (The Foundation) is offering five $2000 scholarships to apiculture graduate students in 2015. This is the Foundation’s 10th year to award these scholarships. The Foundation is a charitable research and education foundation affiliated with the American Beekeeping Federation (ABF). The Foundation has benefited from a number of generous …
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug.11, 2014 — Bee, snake or scorpion venom could form the basis of a new generation of cancer-fighting drugs, scientists will report here today. They have devised a method for targeting venom proteins specifically to malignant cells while sparing healthy ones, which reduces or eliminates side effects that the toxins would otherwise cause. The report was part of the …
Three New USDA Directories Help Connect Consumers and Farmers through Local Food Opportunities WASHINGTON, Aug. 4, 2014 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Administrator Anne Alonzo announced over the weekend that USDA's National Farmers Market Directory now lists 8,268 markets, an increase of 76 percent since 2008. The data reflects continued demand and growth of farmers markets …
by Kathy Keatley Garvey UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology DAVIS--When you taste honey, do you know how to describe the flavor? You probably will when you use the UC Davis Honey and Pollinator Center's newly published Honey Flavor Wheel. The newly published Honey Flavor Wheel from the UC Davis Honey and Pollination Center “This gives a huge lexicon to the tastes and …