Purdue Extension releases new publications in Protecting Pollinators series

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue Extension has released two new publications in the Protecting Pollinators series: The Complex Life of the Honey Bee and Biology and Control of Varroa Mites in Bee Hives.

These new publications provide information on honey bee biology, how to promote promoting healthy hives and current issues in pollinator research.

Biology and Control of Varroa Mites in Bee Hives focuses on one of the greatest threats to North American honey bees - the pesky varroa mite. These mites cause massive winter losses in hives by infecting brood cells. The publication provides details on the biology of the infestation and methods used to reduce mite populations and prevent honey bee die-offs. The publication is available as a free download from Purdue Extension’s the Education Store at edustore.purdue.edu/item.asp?Item_Number=POL-8.

The Complex Life of the Honey Bee is a detailed guide to the species and its management. The publication provides insight on the environmental, biological, and chemical challenges of colony health. It also includes an emphasis on the balance between pesticides and pollinators, an important issue today. Print versions of The Complex Life of the Honey Bee are available for $5.50 each from The Education Store at edustore.purdue.edu/item.asp?Item_Number=PPP-116.

Fred Whitford, director of the Purdue Pesticide Programs and senior author of The Complex Life of the Honey Bee, said the publication is designed to promote deeper discussion and greater awareness of the species.

“We want people to be involved in the discussion, understand the circumstances, and take action,” Whitford said. “The publication tells us how a colony works, how individual bees operate, how they feed and how pesticides are affecting them. We need an in-depth understanding of these topics to tackle the issues.”

Nine publications are now available in the Protecting Pollinators series. The series provides practical tips for protecting the habitats of honey bees, mason bees, bumble bees, flies, moths, butterflies and hummingbirds as well as other threatened pollinator species.

Members of Purdue’s Protecting Pollinators development team were recently honored with the 2017 Entomology Educational Project Award from the Certified Entomologists of Mid-America for their efforts to help educate the public, farmers and agrochemical professionals about vital pollinator species.

“There’s an important national debate taking place over threats to our pollinator communities. Lack of food, diseases, and other insects are contributing to their decline,” Whitford said. “These publications are designed to provide important information about pollinator survival to beekeepers, gardeners, farmers, professional applicators and anyone else interested in the survival of these vital species.”

Other publications in the series are:

* Protecting Pollinators in Home Lawns and Landscapes

* Protecting Pollinators in Fruit and Vegetable Production

* Tips for Commercial Agricultural Pesticide Applicators

* Recommended Indiana-native Plants for Protecting Pollinators

* Why Should We Care About Pollinators?

* Protecting Pollinators in Agronomic Crop Production

* Best Management Practices for Indiana Pollinator Habitat

For more information on the series and pollinator issues, visit the Purdue Extension Entomology site at https://extension.entm.purdue.edu/index.html. 

Writer: Morgan Sussman, 765-494-8415, msussman@purdue.edu

Source: Fred Whitford, 765-494-1284, fwhitford@purdue.edu

Agricultural Communications: (765) 494-8415;
Shari Finnell, Manager/Media Relations and Public Information, sfinnell@purdue.edu  
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