Speakers will present via zoom, so everyone will also have the option of attending via zoom if you do not wish to attend in person. Door prize drawn each meeting - must be in person to be eligible.
Doors will open at 6:45pm; feel free to bring a snack for yourself or even to share!
Mini Presentation:
Main Topic:
Honey bee health: hope for the future
Honey bees face many familiar challenges, from poor nutrition and viruses to Nosema ceranae, but there are also practical reasons for hope. In this talk, I will focus on three approaches that could help colonies stay healthier and stronger: improving bee diets by correcting imbalances in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, using mushroom-based treatments that may help reduce viral infections, and helping bees better defend themselves against Nosema ceranae by “training” their immune system so they respond more effectively when exposed. The emphasis will be on what this means in the hive, including healthier workers, stronger brood, improved overwintering, and colonies that are more resilient to everyday stress.
Professor James C. Nieh was born in Taiwan and raised in Southern California. He earned his B.A. from Harvard and Ph.D. from Cornell before joining UC San Diego, where he is a Distinguished Professor of Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution and Associate Dean in the School of Biological Sciences. His honors include the Hambleton Award for Excellence in Bee Research, the Springer Nature Distinguished Editor Award, and election as a Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society.
Dr. Nieh studies bee communication, cognition, and health, focusing on how pesticides, pathogens, and nutrition affect social behavior and resilience in honey bees, bumble bees, and stingless bees.