May 11, 2021
WSU scientists are inspecting honey bee hives to develop a better way to measure colony health and make beekeeping decisions.
By Seth Truscott
College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences
Millions of honey bees trek across America each year, pollinating almonds, apples, melons, and many more crops.
Trucked in great stacks of hives, bee colonies are dispersed across hundreds of miles. It’s very difficult for beekeepers to track the impact from pests, diseases, pesticides, and environmental factors at every location.
This spring, scientists at Washington State University are following the journey and inspecting hives to get a clearer picture of colony health across the annual cycle of pollination.