Location: Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics, and Physiology Research
Title: Baton Rouge scientist spotlightAuthor
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Submitted to: Bee Culture
Publication Type: Trade Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 12/9/2022 Publication Date: 4/1/2023 Citation: Walsh, E.M. 2023. Baton Rouge scientist spotlight. Bee Culture. 1. Interpretive Summary: This is an introduction to the newest USDA-ARS Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics, and Physiology scientist and a brief introduction to ongoing projects in the Walsh Lab. Two experiments in particular are introduced, one is the "Hangry" bee experiment. Environmental cues were manipulated (e.g. half the colonies were deprived of pollen and half were not deprived of pollen) and then colony aggression phenotype was assessed, as well as other colony metrics. The other experiment described is a chalkbrood (Ascosphaera apis)-fungicide assessment in the lab. There is no licensed chemical control method for chalkbrood in North America at this time. Technical Abstract: This is an introduction to the newest USDA-ARS Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics, and Physiology scientist and a brief introduction to ongoing projects in the Walsh Lab. Two experiments in particular are introduced, one is the "Hangry" bee experiment. Environmental cues were manipulated (e.g. half the colonies were deprived of pollen and half were not deprived of pollen) and then colony aggression phenotype was assessed, as well as other colony metrics. Other metrics we are exploring include physiological and genetic mechanisms for the observed behaviors. The other experiment described is a chalkbrood (Ascosphaera apis)-fungicide assessment in the lab. There is no licensed chemical control method for chalkbrood in North America at this time. |
