For honey bees, queen health is synonymous with colony health.  Failing queens are a common reason cited for colony losses. New research, funded in part by PAm, describes conditions when queens might be vulnerable to heat stress, which could damage fertility. 

​The first round of the North American Mite-A-Thon is right around the corner. From May 2nd through May 17th submit your mite counts to help keep track of varroa across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
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You can also participate in the second round of mite counting, August 15th through August 30th. 
 
Use a sugar shake, or an alcohol wash, to measure your varroa and submit your data here.  The Honey Bee Health Coalition has a video demonstrating both methods. 

On March 6, Washington State University (WSU) opened the doors to it’s new Honey Bee & Pollinator Research, Extension and Education Facility.  WSU says “the new facility will give the research team enough room to do commercial-scale experiments. They will be able to measure the effectiveness of controlled atmosphere storage and dial in the best way for beekeepers to use it to help their bees.”  As indoor storage becomes a more widely used management practice for commercial beekeepers, the new WSU facility is an important tool for researchers to help beekeepers understand and use Best Management Practices surrounding the practice.  

​Blue Diamond Growers has been a long-time supporter of Project Apis m. (PAm). ) Since 2014, Blue Diamond Growers has supported select research projects and partnered with PAm to help educate growers and build positive grower and beekeeper communications.  

With almond bloom upon us it’s important to remember how regular orchard management tasks can affect honey bees. The following are some Best Management Practices that should be considered for bees pollinating almonds. The honey bee is a small creature, and attention to the small details regarding their health and safety have a significant impact on their ability to pollinate effectively.  ​

​For the second year in a row, Western Monarch counts are below 30,000 according to a recently released count by the Xerces Society. The past two years have shown a sharp decrease in Western Monarch populations since 1997. Declines are thought to be due to a combination of factors including loss of overwintering sites, climate change, and a decline in biodiversity and forage availability.  

Monarch Joint Venture Job Posting
Position Title: Regional Pollinator Habitat Specialist
Full-time with benefits
Location: Central Valley, California (seeking remote employee, office not provided)
Compensation: $45,000 – $50,000, commensurate with experience
Start Date: March 2020
Application Deadline: 2/6/2020
​Travel required: yes, primarily local

​The Bee Informed Partnership (www.beeinformed.org) is seeking an additional Technical Transfer Team Honey Bee Health Field Specialist to work with commercial beekeepers in the Southern Midwest region. The Team member will serve beekeepers in the home state of Texas, and travel frequently to North and South Dakota, and California, following colony migration through the seasons. 

Please Click Here for the full announcement and applications instructions