Latest News from Project Apis m.
Visit us on the Web at
www.projectapism.org
July 22, 2009
Welcome to the latest edition of the Project
Apis m. Newsletter
What is Project Apis m (PAm)? A
non-profit organization focused on finding practical solutions to beekeepers'
challenges by supporting practical, results-oriented in-field research.
-
Paramount Farming, Inc. hires bee
biologist - - Well known bee
researcher, Dr. Gordon Wardell, has become Paramount Farming, Inc’s
new bee biologist. At Paramount, Dr. Wardell will work closely with
Paramount beekeepers to insure their satisfaction while at the same time
maximizing pollination potential for Paramount’s almonds. Under the
direction of a management team, Dr. Wardell’s company, SAFE R&D, will
continue to support the production of MegaBee and to develop new products
for beekeepers. Dr. Wardell received a B.S. in Biology from Alma College,
an M.S. in Biology and Plant Ecology from Western Kentucky University and a
Ph.D in Entomology from Michigan State University. He joined the Paramount
team July 6th.
- August meetings feature bee
research updates - - The Eastern
Apicultural Society meets from August 3-7 in Ellicottville, NY. A partial
list of featured speakers includes scientists Mike Hood, Gary Reuter,
Clarence Collison, Tom Rinderer, Maryann Frazier, Dave Tarpy, and Nick
Calderone. The focus will be on reducing or eliminating chemicals in hive
management. Please visit
www.easternapiculture.org for more information. The Western
Apicultural Society meets in Healdsburg, CA, August 17-21. Participants
will hear Jerry Bromenshenk, Michelle Flenniken, Steve Sheppard, Robbin
Thorp, Neal Williams, Claire Kremen and others present. Please visit
http://groups.ucanr.org/WAS for more information.
- BVS, Inc. is looking for
viruses –- the database on honey bee viruses is growing by leaps
and bounds. How do your colonies compare to viruses being found
nationwide? Contact Dave Wick at
mrwick@bvs-inc.us, or by phone at 406-369-4214. For a very
reasonable fee (PAm helped put the technology into place), you can have an
objective look at the health of your colonies via their viral load.
- PAm’s research program
- - Project Apis m has contributed more than $330,000 to bee research in
the last two years alone. For more on PAm’s research,
click here.
·
UC Davis’ honey bee geneticist Sue
Cobey wins award - - Sue Cobey has
received a citation for excellence from the University of California, Davis, for
her contributions to the beekeeping industry. Recognizing the importance of
honey bees to agriculture, the importance of breeding as the long-term remedy
for pest and disease challenges, and Sue’s significant contributions to
improving honey bee stock, UC Davis bestowed this honor upon Sue in May, just
two years after joining UC Davis’ Department of Entomology. For more
information,
click here.
- CCD Steering Committee
releases report - - The Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) Progress Report
has been published by the CCD Steering Committee. This report fulfills the
requirements of the 2008 Farm Bill to present an annual report on CCD. Many
of our top scientists, universities, departments of agriculture and some
private research efforts contributed to this report.
Click here to see the full report.
- Honey bee hive operating costs
reported at $178 per colony - - Dr. Michael Burgett, professor,
extension beekeeping, Dept. of Entomology, Oregon State University, has
completed his annual survey of the Northwest beekeeping industry and has
reported the average per hive maintenance cost to be $178 for 2008. He also
mentions the influence of the almond industry on pollination fees for
Northwest crops.
Click here
for more information.
- Donate
now to PAm! -- Why PAm? Because PAm funds
bee research that is selected and guided by beekeepers. We are suggesting
$1 per colony to support PAm’s research efforts that seek to find
practical solutions for managed colonies. Click
here to donate.
If you
sent hives to Paramount Farming Co. orchards during the 2009 pollination
season, Paramount will generously match your contribution to PAm,
dollar-for-dollar. Write your check to PAm, send it our address below,
and include a note that you were a Paramount beekeeper. “A buck a hive” becomes
two bucks and will go a long way to help resolve our many bee challenges. Do
your part, and Paramount will help!
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Got News?
Please send us your news item to Christi Heintz
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Donations.
Suggested contribution: A buck a hive -
beekeeper and grower. Write this contribution for research into your pollination
contracts. Send your tax deductible contribution to:
Project Apis m.
1750 Dayton Rd.
Chico, CA 95928