Honey Bee Genetics and Behavior with Dr. Christine Grozinger (S6, E50)

In this enlightening episode, we are joined by Dr. Christina Grozinger, a distinguished researcher from Penn State University, who delves into her extensive work on bee behavior, genetics, and the vital role of nutrition in bee health. As the director of the Center for Pollinator Research, Dr. Grozinger offers invaluable insights into the complexities of pollen nutrition and its critical impact on bee resilience and hive productivity.

Listeners will benefit from a deep dive into how various stressors like pesticides, poor nutrition, and parasites affect bee colonies at a molecular level. Dr. Grozinger discusses her pioneering research in understanding the genetic underpinnings of bee behavior, particularly how genes from the queen and drones influence colony dynamics and individual bee actions.

Moreover, this episode covers the groundbreaking development of Beescape, an online tool that provides beekeepers with detailed information about their local environment, including land use, floral resources, and potential pesticide exposure. This tool is designed to help beekeepers and researchers make informed decisions to enhance the health and productivity of their colonies.

Whether you're a seasoned beekeeper or new to the field, this episode is packed with cutting-edge scientific findings and practical guidance that can transform your beekeeping practices and help ensure the sustainability of your hives.

Links and websites mentioned in this episode:

• Penn State BeeScape: https://pollinators.psu.edu/bee-health/beescape
• Penn State Center for Pollinator Research: https://pollinators.psu.edu

• Honey Bee Health Coalition Varroa Management: https://honeybeehealthcoalition.org/resources/varroa-management/

• Honey Bee Obscura Podcast: https://honeybeeobscura.com

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Betterbee is the presenting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

Thanks to Bee Smart Designs as a sponsor of this podcast! Bee Smart Designs is the creator of innovative, modular and interchangeable hive systems made in the USA using recycled and American sourced materials. Bee Smart Designs - Simply better beekeeping for the modern beekeeper.

This episode is brought to you by Dalan Animal Health. Dalan is dedicated to providing transformative animal health solutions to support a more sustainable future. We are redrawing the boundaries of animal health by bringing our vaccine technology platform to underserved animal populations, such as honeybees and other invertebrates.

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their support. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

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We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: [email protected]

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Faraday by BeGun; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Wedding Day by Boomer; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

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