Project Overview
FNE04-506
Project Type: Farmer
Funds awarded in 2004: $9,530.00
Projected End Date: 12/31/2004
Matching Non-Federal Funds: $13,980.00
Region: Northeast
State: Massachusetts
Project Leader:
Daniel Conlon
Warm Colors Apiary
Annual Reports
Commodities
- Animals: bees
Practices
- Animal Production: general animal production
- Education and Training: farmer to farmer, on-farm/ranch research
- Pest Management: genetic resistance
- Production Systems: holistic management
- Sustainable Communities: sustainability measures
Proposal summary:
The USDA Agricultural Research Service has confirmed that Russian honeybees are excellent for surviving New England winters and have a high tolerance for tracheal mites, but they are difficult to introduce into Italian bee colonies. Rejection rates can be as high as 30 percent, as compared to a standard queen rejection rate of 5 percent. This project will test three methods of queen introduction to packages of Italian honeybees. Outreach will be through articles, presentations, a web page, and a printed guide to managing Russian honeybees.
Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or SARE.