Episode Details

What does honey bee health look like when researchers examine it from the inside out? In this episode, Jeff and Becky welcome three scientists from the USDA-ARS Carl Hayden Bee Research Center in Tucson, Arizona: Dr. Vanessa Corby-Harris, Dr. Kirk Anderson, and Dr. Mark Carroll. Their work spans insect physiology, nutrition, microbiomes, chemical ecology, Varroa, and the complicated ways multiple stressors influence colony health.

Vanessa explains why nutrition is one of the areas where beekeepers can directly influence colony health and how researchers use biomarkers—including the honey bee fat body—to connect individual bee physiology with brood production and colony performance.

Kirk describes research comparing colonies placed in diverse Conservation Reserve Program forage with colonies working canola and sunflower landscapes, then discusses a more recent case involving Varroa, amitraz resistance, viruses, nutrition, and agricultural exposure.

Mark explores another layer: how young workers interpret colony conditions and how pheromones such as β-ocimene may influence brood rearing during nutritional stress.

Together, the conversation shows why understanding colony health increasingly means looking beyond any single stressor—and why nutrition, physiology, microbes, pesticides, pathogens, and mites often need to be considered together.

Also in this episode, Jeff and Becky answer a Hive IQ listener question about preparing plastic foundation for bees.

Websites from the episode and others we recommend:

• Carl Hayden Honey Bee Research Lab: https://www.ars.usda.gov/pacific-west-area/tucson-az/carl-hayden-bee-research-center/
• Honey Bee Health Coalition: https://honeybeehealthcoalition.org
• Project Apis m. (PAm): https://www.projectapism.org
• The National Honey Board: https://honey.com
• Honey Bee Obscura Podcast: https://honeybeeobscura.com

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