Bee-friending the Planet: Why Bee Health Matters (and What We're Doing About It!)

Our buzzing buddies, honeybees and native bees, are facing some serious struggles. This isn't just a bee problem – it's a big deal for our food supply and the environment! Bees are super pollinators, helping grow so many of the crops we eat. But their populations are shrinking thanks to mites, pesticides, and vanishing habitats. Yikes!

Auburn's Bee Center: Buzzing with Solutions

That's where Auburn University's Bee Center comes in. We're on a mission to keep bees healthy and happy through groundbreaking research. We're teaming up with the USDA's bee experts to share knowledge, analyze data, and train the next generation of bee scientists. Together, we're developing new ways to fight bee pests, figuring out the best wildflowers to plant, and understanding how invasive plants affect bee food.

Tracking Bee Health Across the Nation

The Bee Center leads the U.S. Beekeeping Survey, keeping tabs on bee health nationwide. Our findings have revealed some pretty alarming colony losses, especially among beekeepers who pollinate specialty crops. This info is crucial for informing policymakers and guiding future research.

Global Bee Troubles: We've Got Your Back

We're also keeping an eye on a nasty parasitic mite, Tropilaelaps mercedesae, that's spreading in Asia and Eastern Europe. We're working to understand and manage this mite, so U.S. beekeepers are prepared if it ever shows up here.

Tackling Varroa Mites: A Team Effort

High colony loss and mortality, often caused by another mite called Varroa destructor, is a major concern. We're part of a large USDA-supported project, teaming up with researchers across the U.S. and Canada to find new ways to control these pesky critters. Our field trials are conducted in real-world beekeeping conditions, so we know our solutions are practical and effective.

More Than Just Research: Teaching and Outreach

We're also passionate about education and community involvement. We offer amazing hands-on learning experiences for students, letting them contribute to research, share findings, and engage in outreach.

We connect with local beekeepers and farmers through field days, meetings, surveys, and direct communication. We want to understand their needs and provide practical solutions. Our monthly webinar series and beekeeping videos are just a couple of ways we're supporting our bee-loving community.

The Future is Bright (and Bee-utiful!)

Our upcoming SEBees initiative will provide even more immersive pollinator research and outreach opportunities for students.

Our goal is to make a lasting impact on sustainable agriculture and bee conservation. By working with our partners, we aim to lead the way, providing solutions and inspiring the next generation of bee stewards.

Auburn's Bee Center is a hub of innovation, collaboration, and impact. We're driving change and making a real difference in the world of bee conservation!

Courtesy of Auburn University

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