The Honey Bee Research and Extension program at Oregon State University focuses on honey bee health, nutrition, and pollination with a goal of servicing commercial beekeepers, backyard beekeepers, producers, and all citizens that are interested in bees.

Honey bees are currently faced with numerous maladies, such as pests, diseases, viruses, poor nutrition, and chemicals, just to name a few. Healthy and properly nourished honey bees may be better equipped to deflect the destructive effects of these maladies. By monitoring colonies during crop pollination, studying the honey bee diet, investigating honey bee diseases, and conducting other experiments, we hope to contribute to the body of knowledge necessary for maintaining healthy honey bee colonies.

Ongoing research and extension projects:

  • Comprehensive analysis of honey bee health in Oregon by statewide sampling and monitoring of honey bee colonies for honey bee pests and diseases.
  • Investigating colony-level prevalence and intensity of the gut parasite, Nosema ceranae, and examining the role of optimal nutrition in concurrence with N. ceranae.
  • Evaluating effects of nutrition (pollen diversity) on honey bee health, physiology, and immunocompetence.
  • Enhancing pollination efficiency of honey bee colonies in hard-to-pollinate crops using brood pheromone technology.
  • Oregon Master Beekeeper Program: the goal of this extension program is to improve honey bee colony health throughout Oregon via education and service.

Learn more about the Honey Bee Lab >