Explore Vermont Apiary Data BeekApp!
In 2017, I began collaborating with Vermont’s Apiary Inspection Program to collect data on beekeeping practices and colony loss and Vermont. View the results and explore state trends here with BeekApp!
Role of Migratory Beekeeping in Bee Disease
Crop pollination by migratory beekeeping operations presents a highly concentrated convergence of bees where diseases may be transmitted and spread as hives are transported throughout the US. To test if migratory operations contribute to the spread of disease, we conducted an experiment where we subjected hives to almond pollination in California and compared their disease loads to stationary hives in N. Carolina. Upon the return of the migratory hives, we measure subsequent disease spread. This research was crowd-funded and supported by many. Watch a video about the project and read more here.
RNA Viruses in Bumble Bees
RNA viruses, once considered to be specific to honey bees, have been detected in bumble bee species. I am studying the prevalence, effects, and transmission of RNA viruses in bumble bees in Vermont. Check out this report or this video of recent research funded by a SARE graduate student grant.
National Honey Bee Survey
Are you a Vermont beekeeper with at least 8 hives? Are you interested in participating in a free survey to test the pathogens and pesticides present in your apiary? The information gained from this survey is about a $400 value to the beekeeper and is kept confidential. Contact Samantha Alger, VT survey manager for more information.
The National Honey Bee Survey (NHBS) is a nation-wide effort to gather baseline data on bee disease and pesticide residues in hives. It is coordinated by USDA-APHIS, Bee Informed Partnership, and the University of Maryland. Vermont has been involved in the survey since 2015. Survey results can be viewed here.
Samantha Alger 