Pol-Line VSH Honey Bees with USDA-ARS Drs Frank Rinkevich and Mike Simone (S4, E47)

Drs. Michael Simone-Finstrom and Dr. Frank Rinkevich, are research entomologists at the Baton Rouge Honey Bee Research Laboratory in Baton Rouge, LA. They have completed an extensive set of tests in commercial beekeeping operations on mite resistance, overwintering, honey production and virus loads of the varroa sensitive hygiene (VSH) P0L Line of honey bees bred there since the 1990s.

The line, called the Pol-line is drawn from the original line to be used as pollinator bees, have as a basis for mite resistance, the VSH trait, where mites in brood cells are removed by nurse bees before they are able to complete development.

Over the season these bees were subjected to moving to almonds, and from almonds to other pollination jobs or to honey production areas in MS, CA, ND and SD to sample a wide variety of environments.

The results are definitely encouraging. Listen to learn more!

Next on their agenda? Getting these bees into the hands commercial beekeepers so they can take advantage of the money saving, and honey bee saving attributes of these bees.

Also in this episode, Jeff meets up with Dr. Dewey Caron and receives an update from on Dewey’s PNW Honey Bee Survey.

Finally, before the main interview with Drs Simone and Rinkevich, Kim delivers his review of Brother Adam’s book, “Beekeeping at Buckfast Abbey”, presented by Northern Bee Books.

This is one packed episode!  Let us know what you think by leaving comments for this episode above. Start a discussion!

Thank you for listening!

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast: 

• Baton Rouge Bee Lab - https://www.ars.usda.gov/southeast-area/baton-rouge-la/honeybeelab/
• Pol-Line Honey Bee Research Paper - https://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publication/?seqNo115=317665
• Pacific Northwest Bee Survey & Results - https://pnwhoneybeesurvey.com
• Kim's Book Review, "Beekeeping at Buckfast Abbey" by Brother Adam - https://amazon.com/dp/0907908373
• Honey Bee Obscura Podcast - https://www.honeybeeobscura.com

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We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. 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 Patties is a family business that manufactures protein supplement patties for honey bees. Feeding your hives protein supplement patties will help ensure that they produce strong and health colonies by increasing brood production and overall honey flow. Global offers a variety of standard patties, as well as custom patties to meet your specific needs. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their sponsorship of Bee Books: Old & New with Kim Flottum. 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. Check them out today!

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

We want to also thank 2 Million Blossoms as a sponsor of the podcast. 2 Million Blossoms is a regular podcast featuring interviews with leading bee and insect researchers in the world of pollination, hosted by Dr. Kirsten Traynor.

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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]

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

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