Improving the quality and availability of locally adapted honey bee stock.
Conference Year
2023
Abstract
Locally adapted honeybees are known to perform better in their native climate then imported bees. However, the limited availability of Vermont-bred honeybee stock has forced Vermont beekeepers to import bees and contribute to increasing pest and pathogen spread. Since 2020, the Vermont Bee Lab has engaged in a collaborative effort with Vermont-based honeybee producers to improve the quality and availability of locally adapted bee stock in the northeast. By leveraging the capabilities of the Bee Lab, we are helping to strengthen their existing breeding programs by developing more robust selection standards and using novel assays to select for stock that demonstrates pest/pathogen resistance.
Primary Faculty Mentor Name
Samantha Alger
Status
Undergraduate
Student College
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Program/Major
Accelerated RN-BS-MS
Primary Research Category
Life Sciences
Improving the quality and availability of locally adapted honey bee stock.
Locally adapted honeybees are known to perform better in their native climate then imported bees. However, the limited availability of Vermont-bred honeybee stock has forced Vermont beekeepers to import bees and contribute to increasing pest and pathogen spread. Since 2020, the Vermont Bee Lab has engaged in a collaborative effort with Vermont-based honeybee producers to improve the quality and availability of locally adapted bee stock in the northeast. By leveraging the capabilities of the Bee Lab, we are helping to strengthen their existing breeding programs by developing more robust selection standards and using novel assays to select for stock that demonstrates pest/pathogen resistance.