CCD- Research and Ext Practice
Questions with Quality Answers 2026-
2027 Updated.
Additive effects: Synergisms - Answer - A combination of things:
- Varroa mites
- Pesticides
- Poor nutrition
- AFB
- DWV
Synergisms - real concern, if bees have 1 stressor they can handle the stress. IF you throw in
more stressors, the bees can't handle the stress.
Multiple things in the colony contribute to colony loss.
Behavioral Research - Answer Very broad topic:
- Not an exhaustive compilation, this is just a taste of what’s out there...:
- Often behaviorial interations
-- with other bees
-- With predators
-- With parasites
-- Individual or colony interactions
-- With environmental factors
Can be combined with other research: Toxicology
- Ex.: Pesticide exposure affects foraging behavior. People study the interactions of the larger
area.
Benefits of Bees - Answer - What do honey bees do for man?
-- Honey
-- Propolis, wax, royal jelly, pollen etc.
-Pollination (one of the most important things they do for man)
,- People care about bees because they do so much for mankind. So when CCD occurs, people
notice.
Brood Cycle (Healthy) - Answer Egg
Larvae (C-shaped) in a pool of brood food. Once the larvae develop, they defecate in their food
and the bees cap over the cells.
Larvae move into pre-pupae
Bodies begin to differentiate then you get a pupal stage on the left (image)
Purple eyed pupae
Sclerotizing the exoskelleton of the bee
Then nearly adult bee with some hair
Then healthy brood
- This sets the stage for colony collapse and how it impacts the healthy individuals
Categories of research? - Answer Division between:
Basic research:
- Defined as knowledge for the sake of knowledge.
- May not have an applied application: Trophylaxis
Applied research:
- Some sort of function
- Ex.: Disease in pest control, or with chemical X, could be applied accorss the country
Some people dable in both areas, most applied research comes from basic research originally.
We know Varroa mites reproducce on brood in honey bee colonies, we could use that
knowledge and target varroa mite fertility in the brood and the colony
Dr. Ellis' lab can incorporate both cat. successfully.
CCD (Map of the USA) - Answer Fall 2006 beekeepers in shaded states reported > 50% colony
losses:
Shaded states:
- Florida
, - TX
- California
- *Pennsylvania*
CCD came to attention (2006) when a beekeeper from Pennsylvania moved his bees down to
florida in the fall to overwinter in time for the almond pollination. Many of the colonies he
brought down over a short period of time died.
Losses:
- 60%
- 70%
More and more bees are seeing the same level of colony losses.
Chemical Use in Bee Colonies - Answer Pesticides - Labeled for use in and around honey bees
- GardStar, Paradyclorobenze, apistan, teramycin
-- Antibiotics, insecticides, are put in and around bees.
Apart from taramycin (dust at the bottom)
Wax moth crystals, cumufauce - Low dose insecticides placing them inside the colony.
Its not the things we're using, but the stuff coming from outside, however, there is a lot of stuff
we're putting in that could have negative impacts and compromise bee health.
Citizen Scientists Proj. - Answer Citizen Scientist projects: Combine research and extension by
allowing the public to participate in research projects.
This is usually done in the form of a survey
Ex.: NYC is asking citizen scientists to observe plants and record what type of bees visit the
plants
Educ. and engages public while still proving useful infor for researchers.
Colony Losses - Answer Honey bee populations have been on a steady decline since the
1940s
Questions with Quality Answers 2026-
2027 Updated.
Additive effects: Synergisms - Answer - A combination of things:
- Varroa mites
- Pesticides
- Poor nutrition
- AFB
- DWV
Synergisms - real concern, if bees have 1 stressor they can handle the stress. IF you throw in
more stressors, the bees can't handle the stress.
Multiple things in the colony contribute to colony loss.
Behavioral Research - Answer Very broad topic:
- Not an exhaustive compilation, this is just a taste of what’s out there...:
- Often behaviorial interations
-- with other bees
-- With predators
-- With parasites
-- Individual or colony interactions
-- With environmental factors
Can be combined with other research: Toxicology
- Ex.: Pesticide exposure affects foraging behavior. People study the interactions of the larger
area.
Benefits of Bees - Answer - What do honey bees do for man?
-- Honey
-- Propolis, wax, royal jelly, pollen etc.
-Pollination (one of the most important things they do for man)
,- People care about bees because they do so much for mankind. So when CCD occurs, people
notice.
Brood Cycle (Healthy) - Answer Egg
Larvae (C-shaped) in a pool of brood food. Once the larvae develop, they defecate in their food
and the bees cap over the cells.
Larvae move into pre-pupae
Bodies begin to differentiate then you get a pupal stage on the left (image)
Purple eyed pupae
Sclerotizing the exoskelleton of the bee
Then nearly adult bee with some hair
Then healthy brood
- This sets the stage for colony collapse and how it impacts the healthy individuals
Categories of research? - Answer Division between:
Basic research:
- Defined as knowledge for the sake of knowledge.
- May not have an applied application: Trophylaxis
Applied research:
- Some sort of function
- Ex.: Disease in pest control, or with chemical X, could be applied accorss the country
Some people dable in both areas, most applied research comes from basic research originally.
We know Varroa mites reproducce on brood in honey bee colonies, we could use that
knowledge and target varroa mite fertility in the brood and the colony
Dr. Ellis' lab can incorporate both cat. successfully.
CCD (Map of the USA) - Answer Fall 2006 beekeepers in shaded states reported > 50% colony
losses:
Shaded states:
- Florida
, - TX
- California
- *Pennsylvania*
CCD came to attention (2006) when a beekeeper from Pennsylvania moved his bees down to
florida in the fall to overwinter in time for the almond pollination. Many of the colonies he
brought down over a short period of time died.
Losses:
- 60%
- 70%
More and more bees are seeing the same level of colony losses.
Chemical Use in Bee Colonies - Answer Pesticides - Labeled for use in and around honey bees
- GardStar, Paradyclorobenze, apistan, teramycin
-- Antibiotics, insecticides, are put in and around bees.
Apart from taramycin (dust at the bottom)
Wax moth crystals, cumufauce - Low dose insecticides placing them inside the colony.
Its not the things we're using, but the stuff coming from outside, however, there is a lot of stuff
we're putting in that could have negative impacts and compromise bee health.
Citizen Scientists Proj. - Answer Citizen Scientist projects: Combine research and extension by
allowing the public to participate in research projects.
This is usually done in the form of a survey
Ex.: NYC is asking citizen scientists to observe plants and record what type of bees visit the
plants
Educ. and engages public while still proving useful infor for researchers.
Colony Losses - Answer Honey bee populations have been on a steady decline since the
1940s
