Author: Leilani Pulsifer

Updates from the BC Technology Transfer Program

It’s been a busy start to our year with several on-going projects underway and multiple others just on the horizon. Nuria Morfin, the Chair of the BC-TTP Steering Committee, has settled well into her new role as Assistant Professor in the Department of Entomology at the University of Manitoba. Meanwhile, back in British Columbia, the BC-TTP’s newest member, Muhammad Fahim Raza, has carried our values forward with clarity, purpose, and commitment in his first few months as our Apiculture Technician. Read on to hear from Fahim about his thoughts on the current state of BC’s beekeeping industry and how he has adjusted to BC living.

*Nuria Morfin and Muhammad Fahim Raza in the field doing hygienic testing.*

Ongoing projects

Hygienic Behavior

Led by Dr. Nuria Morfin and carried out by Dr. Muhammad Fahim Raza, this project focuses on testing hygienic behavior in honey bee colonies across five distinct regions of British Columbia. The objective is to investigate potential correlations between low varroa growth, hygienic behavior, and pathogen loads.

Amitraz Resistance Study (In collaboration with Dr. Erika Plettner, Simon Fraser University) — PARTICIPATION ENCOURAGED

Amitraz is an acaricide often used to treat varroa mites in honey bee colonies. Over the years, mites have been shown to reproduce despite exposure to amitraz, suggesting resistance to this treatment. The BC-TTP, in collaboration with Dr. Erika Plettner from Simon Fraser University, are studying this resistance. We are looking for volunteers to send in drone frames to Dr. Plettner’s lab. If you would be interested in participating in this study, please visit our Beekeeper Involvement page to fill out an inquiry form.

Upcoming projects

AFB Spore Surveillance Across BC (Awarded through Pollinator Partnership Canada and funded by Storehouses Foundation) — PARTICIPATION ENCOURAGED

We are pleased to share that we recently received a research grant from Pollinator Partnership Canada to evaluate the distribution of American foulbrood (AFB) (Paenibacillus larvae) spores across British Columbia using pooled, extracted honey samples. We are looking for volunteers to send in pooled, extracted honey samples during routine honey extraction at an apiary level to the BC-TTP. Participants will receive a risk assessment report indicating the presence and level of AFB spores at the apiary level for their samples. If you would be interested in participating in this study, please visit our Beekeeper Involvement page to fill out an inquiry form.

Amitraz and Fluvalinate Resistance in Varroa Mites (In collaboration with Wolf Veiga Patricia, National Bee Diagnostic Centre – Beaverlodge) — PARTICIPATION ENCOURAGED

We will be supporting Patricia Wolf Veiga from the National Bee Diagnostic Centre (Beaverlodge) in her research on amitraz and fluvalinate resistance in varroa mites. As part of this project, we plan to collect varroa mite samples from approximately 30 apiaries across British Columbia. We are looking for volunteers willing to have varroa mite samples collected from their apiary by TTP staff. If you would be interested in participating in this study, please visit our Beekeeper Involvement page to fill out an inquiry form.

Queen Overwintering Study (In collaboration with Dr. Leonard Foster’s lab at the University of British Columbia)

In partnership with Dr. Leonard Foster’s lab at the University of British Columbia, the BC-TTP team will be participating in this study observing queen overwintering in British Columbia.

Meet Our Summer Intern!

*Trin (Trinity) Redekop is the BC-TTP’s newest summer intern!*

Trin is a recent graduate of Kwantlen Polytechnic University with a Bachelor’s degree in Horticulture Science, majoring in Plant Health. Trin will be spending most of their time in the field with Fahim, helping collect samples and analyzing them in the lab. Alongside their passion for entomology, Trin has a fascination with the complex relationships insects have with our shared environment and is eager to play their part to support honey bee health for the betterment of our communities. Click here to read more about Trin.

Fahim’s Update

*Dr. Muhammad Fahim Raza in the field working on hygienic testing.*

Q: What have you found yourself spending the most time on in your new role?

Fahim: Over the past few months, in addition to building meaningful friendships with fellow beekeepers, I have been learning about beekeeping practices specific to British Columbia and engaging with the local beekeeping community to better understand regional challenges. Furthermore, I have spent a significant amount of time writing a research grant aimed at addressing the issue of American foulbrood disease in British Columbia.

Q: What are some challenges you have had to overcome with this new role?

Fahim: The first challenge I’ve faced in this new role is adapting to the distinct beekeeping style and gaining an understanding of honey bee pest prevalence in British Columbia, which differs significantly from the prairie land beekeeping I was previously familiar with. I feel privileged to be supported by the BCHPA executives, whose guidance has helped me smoothly transition from an academic background to an industry-based role.

Q: What is your favorite part of your new role?

Fahim: I’ve had the opportunity to make new connections through local beekeeping clubs, where I have learned more about the interesting beekeeping practices shared by fellow beekeepers.

Q: From your experience so far, what do you identify to be the biggest need for BC beekeepers?

Fahim: Since most of my previous work has focused on diagnosing diseases at the field level, I’ve come to realize that in BC, there is a lack of facilities and available diagnostic services. While BC beekeepers possess excellent knowledge of varroa mites—undoubtedly the major pest affecting honey bees—there seems to be a gap in both understanding and diagnosing bacterial brood diseases, such as American Foulbrood (AFB) and European Foulbrood (EFB).

Q: How do you see the BC-TTP being able to fill that need?

Fahim: I believe the BC-TTP has a unique opportunity to address this gap by engaging beekeepers in disease diagnosis projects, particularly for bacterial brood diseases like AFB and EFB. Through active participation, the BC-TTP could help develop and disseminate Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to governmental bodies, promoting efforts for the availability of diagnostic services. This, in turn, would aid beekeepers in early detection of these diseases and subsequently more effective management. Additionally, the BC-TTP could play a crucial role in educating beekeepers about these diseases through workshops, training, and outreach, encouraging a better understanding of prevention and helping to stop the spread of these diseases.

Acknowledgements

The BC-TTP team is very grateful for all the support we receive from our sponsors and the BC beekeeping community. We rely on citizen science (which is participation from you!) for many of our research projects. By participating in our current and upcoming studies, not only are you directly impacting the validity of our findings, but you’re contributing to your own local beekeeping community as well as BC’s beekeeping industry. Please visit our Get Involved page for information on how to join a local beekeeping club, upcoming events and workshops, and a list of current and upcoming projects that are open to volunteers.

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