Vermont Beekeepers Association

Apiology

Apiology – (from Latin apis, "bee"; and Ancient Greek -λογία, -logia) is the scientific study of honey bees.

Testing the effect of pollen exine rupture on metabarcoding with Illumina sequencing

Pollen metabarcoding has received much attention recently for its potential to increase taxonomic resolution of the identifications of pollen grains necessary for various public health, ecological and environmental inquiry.

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A Look into the Cell: Honey Storage in Honey Bees, Apis mellifera

Honey bees, Apis species, obtain carbohydrates from nectar and honeydew. These resources are ripened into honey in wax cells that are capped for long-term storage. These stores are used to overcome dearth periods when foraging is not possible.

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Altering social cue perception impacts honey bee aggression with minimal impacts on aggression-related brain gene expressionGene expression changes resulting from social interactions may give rise to long term behavioral change, or simply reflect the acti

Gene expression changes resulting from social interactions may give rise to long term behavioral change, or simply reflect the activity of neural circuitry associated with behavioral expression. In honey bees, social cues broadly modulate aggressive behavior and brain gene expression.

More:Bee Social Cue Perception

A pan-European epidemiological study reveals honey bee colony survival depends on beekeeper education and disease control

Reports of honey bee population decline have spurred many national efforts to understand the extent of the problem and to identify causative or associated factors. However, our collective understanding of the factors has been hampered by a lack of joined-up trans-national effort.

More: Colony Survival

Etruscans Transported Bees by Boat to Reach the Best Flowers!

The discovery of an ancient Etruscan honey harvesting workshop at Focello in Italy, and the analysis of charred remains unearthed at the site, has let archaeologists to propose a remarkable hypothesis. Of all the Etruscan techniques, skills, and social norms discovered to date, Etruscan bee boats are a unique beekeeping and honey manufacturing system and a testament to humanity’s obsession with honey.

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Control of the microsporidian parasite Nosema ceranae in honey bees (Apis mellifera) using nutraceutical and immuno-stimulatory compounds

nosema ceranae is a microsporidian parasite that causes nosemosis in the honey bee (Apis mellifera). As alternatives to the antibiotic fumagillin, ten nutraceuticals (oregano oil, thymol, carvacrol, trans-cinnmaldehyde, tetrahydrocurcumin, sulforaphane, naringenin, embelin, allyl sulfide, hydroxytyrosol) and two immuno-stimulatory compounds (chitosan, poly I:C) were examined for controlling N. ceranae infections.

More: Nosema

Mite bombs or robber lures? The roles of drifting and robbing in Varroa destructor transmission from collapsing honey bee colonies to their neighbors

When honey bee colonies collapse from high infestations of Varroa mites, neighboring colonies often experience surges in their mite populations. Collapsing colonies, often called “mite bombs”, seem to pass their mites to neighboring colonies. This can happen by mite-infested workers from the collapsing colonies drifting into the neighboring colonies, or by mite-free workers from the neighboring colonies robbing out the collapsing colonies, or both.

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Beekeeping in Vermont

VBA June Meeting Minutes Online

Minutes from the June VBA Board of Directors meetings are now available online. VBA members may read the minutes by logging in to the site and selecting Meeting Minutes under the Members Only top menu heading.

Details: Last Updated: 11 June 2019 11 June 2019

Call a Beekeeper, Not an Exterminator

This is the time of year when Vermont homeowners are likely to find swarms of bees in trees, or even within the walls of houses or barns. While frightening to those unfamiliar with it, it is a natural part of a bee's reproductive cycle. Swarming is the process by which a new honey bee colony is formed when the queen bee leaves the colony with a large group of worker bees - usually to alleviate over-crowding in a hive. When that happens: Call a beekeeper to remove a swarm of bees, not an exterminator.

Details: Last Updated: 06 June 2019 06 June 2019

H.205 Signed by Governor

H.205, the "Neonics" legislation the Vermont Beekeepers Association has been following, was signed into law by Governor Phil Scott on Tuesday, May 28 and will take effect July 1, 2019.

VBA thanks all Vermont beekeepers who worked with us on getting it passed.

Details: Last Updated: 30 May 2019 30 May 2019

Mentors Needed

The Vermont Beekeepers Association Mentor Program is always looking for experienced beekeepers willing to mentor newcomers. We are especially in need of mentors to help cover these areas around the state: Stowe, Moretown, Johnson, Eden, St.Johnsbury, Tunbridge, Westmore and Hartland.

To learn more about the program and what the requirements are for participation as a mentor, please read the qualifications page on our website. If you have any questions, please address them to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Mentoring is a great way to share your skillset with other beekeepers while promoting best management practices in Vermont.

Details: Last Updated: 01 May 2019 01 May 2019

Mares: The Bee Bill

VBA's Bill Mares recently explained H.205 on Vermont Public Radio.
Please, spread the word!

Details: Last Updated: 22 May 2019 22 May 2019

H.205 UPDATE

VBA Members: As we've been telling you, H.205 is an important piece of legislation that could change beekeeping in Vermont. We ask you to read the following and take action. A good summary of the bill was recently the subject of a VPR commentary by VBA's Bill Mares.

Details: Last Updated: 21 May 2019 21 May 2019