How and why beekeepers participate in the INSIGNIA citizen science honey bee environmental monitoring project

Environmental Science and Pollution Research ◽

10.1007/s11356-021-13379-7 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Kristina Gratzer ◽

Robert Brodschneider

Keyword(s):

Citizen Science ◽

Honey Bee ◽

Working Hours ◽

Primary Reason ◽

Plant Origin ◽

Non Invasive ◽

Environmental Investigation ◽

Citizen Science Project ◽

Bee Colonies ◽

Sampling Season

AbstractIn the “contributory” citizen science project INSIGNIA, beekeepers carried out non-invasive sampling of their own honey bee colonies for an environmental investigation of pesticide residues and pollen plant origin. We surveyed several traits and attitudes of 69 of the volunteering beekeepers from ten countries. We found that their motivation was similar to that found in previous studies of environmental volunteer motivation, with helping the environment and contributing to scientific knowledge being strong motivators. Our results suggest that receiving laboratory analysis results of the samples from their colonies is the most meaningful way of appreciation for beekeepers, but is not their primary reason for participation. A citizen scientist beekeeper in this study spent on average 10.4 working hours on the project during a sampling season. Our study indicates that most of our volunteers would participate in similar future investigations, or would recommend participation to other beekeepers, underlining the potential of beekeepers as citizen scientists in honey bee research.

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Identification and Treatment of European Foulbrood in Honey Bee Colonies

EDIS ◽

10.32473/edis-in1272-2019 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2020 (1) ◽

pp. 7

Author(s):

Catherine M. Mueller ◽

Cameron Jack ◽

Ashley N. Mortensen ◽

Jamie D. Ellis

Keyword(s):

Honey Bee ◽

Bacterial Disease ◽

American Foulbrood ◽

Fact Sheet ◽

European Foulbrood ◽

Bee Colonies ◽

Honey Bee Larvae

European foulbrood is a bacterial disease that affects Western honey bee larvae. It is a concern to beekeepers everywhere, though it is less serious than American foulbrood because it does not form spores, which means that it can be treated. This 7-page fact sheet written by Catherine M. Mueller, Cameron J. Jack, Ashley N. Mortensen, and Jamie Ellis and published by the UF/IFAS Entomology and Nematology Department describes the disease and explains how to identify it to help beekeepers manage their colonies effectively and prevent the spread of both American and European foulbrood.https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in1272

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Honey bee sociometry: Tracking honey bee colonies and their nest contents from swarm until death

10.1603/ice.2016.111152 ◽

2016 ◽

Author(s):

Michael L Smith

Keyword(s):

Honey Bee ◽

Bee Colonies

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NewPaenibacillus larvaebacterial isolates from honey bee colonies infected with American foulbrood disease in Egypt

Biotechnology & Biotechnological Equipment ◽

10.1080/13102818.2014.906826 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 28 (2) ◽

pp. 271-276 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Saad Hamdy Daif Masry ◽

Sanaa Soliman Kabeil ◽

Elsayed Elsayed Hafez

Keyword(s):

Honey Bee ◽

American Foulbrood ◽

American Foulbrood Disease ◽

Bee Colonies

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Citizens, Scientists, and Enablers: A Tripartite Model for Citizen Science Projects

Diversity ◽

10.3390/d13070309 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (7) ◽

pp. 309

Author(s):

Rhian A. Salmon ◽

Samuel Rammell ◽

Myfanwy T. Emeny ◽

Stephen Hartley

Keyword(s):

Case Studies ◽

Nature Of Science ◽

Citizen Science ◽

Public Engagement ◽

Science Communication ◽

Tripartite Model ◽

Science Project ◽

Science Projects ◽

Emerging Issues ◽

Citizen Science Project

In this paper, we focus on different roles in citizen science projects, and their respective relationships. We propose a tripartite model that recognises not only citizens and scientists, but also an important third role, which we call the ‘enabler’. In doing so, we acknowledge that additional expertise and skillsets are often present in citizen science projects, but are frequently overlooked in associated literature. We interrogate this model by applying it to three case studies and explore how the success and sustainability of a citizen science project requires all roles to be acknowledged and interacting appropriately. In this era of ‘wicked problems’, the nature of science and science communication has become more complex. In order to address critical emerging issues, a greater number of stakeholders are engaging in multi-party partnerships and research is becoming increasingly interdisciplinary. Within this context, explicitly acknowledging the role and motivations of everyone involved can provide a framework for enhanced project transparency, delivery, evaluation and impact. By adapting our understanding of citizen science to better recognise the complexity of the organisational systems within which they operate, we propose an opportunity to strengthen the collaborative delivery of both valuable scientific research and public engagement.

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Pesticides in Honey Bee Colonies: establishing a baseline for real world exposure over seven years in the USA

Environmental Pollution ◽

10.1016/j.envpol.2021.116566 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 116566

Author(s):

Kirsten S. Traynor ◽

Simone Tosi ◽

Karen Rennich ◽

Nathalie Steinhauer ◽

Eva Forsgren ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Honey Bee ◽

Real World ◽

The Usa ◽

Bee Colonies

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Mitochondrial DNA Variation in Peruvian Honey Bee (Apis mellifera L.) Populations Using the tRNAleu-cox2 Intergenic Region

Insects ◽

10.3390/insects12070641 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (7) ◽

pp. 641

Author(s):

Julio Chávez-Galarza ◽

Ruth López-Montañez ◽

Alejandra Jiménez ◽

Rubén Ferro-Mauricio ◽

Juan Oré ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Genetic Diversity ◽

Mitochondrial Dna ◽

Honey Bee ◽

Intergenic Region ◽

Current Status ◽

Dna Variation ◽

Africanized Honey Bee ◽

Dna Variations ◽

The 19Th Century ◽

Bee Colonies

Mitochondrial DNA variations of Peruvian honey bee populations were surveyed by using the tRNAleu-cox2 intergenic region. Only two studies have characterized these populations, indicating the presence of Africanized honey bee colonies in different regions of Peru and varied levels of Africanization, but the current status of its genetic diversity is unknown. A total of 512 honey bee colonies were sampled from three regions to characterize them. Our results revealed the presence of European and African haplotypes: the African haplotypes identified belong to sub-lineage AI (13) and sub-lineage AIII (03), and the European haplotypes to lineages C (06) and M (02). Of 24 haplotypes identified, 15 new sequences are reported here (11 sub-lineage AI, 2 sub-lineage AIII, and 2 lineage M). Peruvian honey bee populations presented a higher proportion from African than European haplotypes. High proportions of African haplotype were reported for Piura and Junín, unlike Lima, which showed more European haplotypes from lineage C. Few colonies belonging to lineage M would represent accidental purchase or traces of the introduction into Peru in the 19th century.

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Sublethal concentrations of clothianidin affect honey bee colony growth and hive CO2 concentration

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-83958-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

William G. Meikle ◽

John J. Adamczyk ◽

Milagra Weiss ◽

Janie Ross ◽

Chris Werle ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Honey Bee ◽

Pesticide Exposure ◽

Co2 Concentration ◽

Colony Growth ◽

Control Group ◽

Brood Production ◽

Weight Losses ◽

Bee Colony ◽

The Impact ◽

Bee Colonies

AbstractThe effects of agricultural pesticide exposure upon honey bee colonies is of increasing interest to beekeepers and researchers, and the impact of neonicotinoid pesticides in particular has come under intense scrutiny. To explore potential colony-level effects of a neonicotinoid pesticide at field-relevant concentrations, honey bee colonies were fed 5- and 20-ppb concentrations of clothianidin in sugar syrup while control colonies were fed unadulterated syrup. Two experiments were conducted in successive years at the same site in southern Arizona, and one in the high rainfall environment of Mississippi. Across all three experiments, adult bee masses were about 21% lower among colonies fed 20-ppb clothianidin than the untreated control group, but no effects of treatment on brood production were observed. Average daily hive weight losses per day in the 5-ppb clothianidin colonies were about 39% lower post-treatment than in the 20-ppb clothianidin colonies, indicating lower consumption and/or better foraging, but the dry weights of newly-emerged adult bees were on average 6–7% lower in the 5-ppb group compared to the other groups, suggesting a nutritional problem in the 5-ppb group. Internal hive CO2 concentration was higher on average in colonies fed 20-ppb clothianidin, which could have resulted from greater CO2 production and/or reduced ventilating activity. Hive temperature average and daily variability were not affected by clothianidin exposure but did differ significantly among trials. Clothianidin was found to be, like imidacloprid, highly stable in honey in the hive environment over several months.

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