Project Apis M

Pam research varroa mites occur in all u.s. Honey bee colonies and typically kill or damage bees if not controlled. The mites are managed with in-hive chemical treatments, but there are problems associated with this approach. A desirable alternative is to use bees that have genetically based mite resistance. The organizations project, managed by a public-private partnership, is breeding and improving a population of hilo bees that has significant resistance to varroa. As the population stabilizes, we are carefully testing initial introductions to the commercial bee keeping industry.

Seeds for bees seeds for bees encourages the use of cover crops to increase the density, diversity, and duration of bee forage in california orchards, farms, and vineyards, while improving soil health. The seed mixes available through seeds for bees are designed to bloom at critical times of the year when natural forage is scarce but managed and native bees are active. Seeds for bees serves the needs of bees, beekeepers, and growers, increasing sustainability of pollination and agriculture. In fy24, the seeds for bees program worked with 361 california growers to plant over 25,000 acres of cover crop.