EFB, Native v. Apis m. and More with Dr. Andony Melathopoulos (S6, E04)

In today’s episode, we welcome back Dr. Andony Melathopoulos of Oregon State University. In this episode, Andony talks about the dual concerns surrounding European Foulbrood (EFB) and the ongoing debate between native bees and honey bees on public lands. EFB, a highly contagious bacterial disease, poses a significant threat to honey bee populations and the beekeeping industry.

Andony works with beekeepers who deal with EFB as they pull their bees out of pollination of Oregon’s blueberry crop on an annual basis. He tells us that EFB is no longer responding to the traditional treatment practices.

Oregon State University also has a Master Melittologist Program in which Andony is also actively involved. We explore the issue of honey bees competing with native bees for resources on public lands. We discuss the arguments for and against the presence of honey bees in natural habitats, addressing concerns related to pollinator diversity, potential ecological impacts, and the need for conservation measures.

Andony also hosts his own podcast, “PolliNation”. If you don’t have it in your regular podcast feed, add it. You will be glad you did!

Join us as we shed light on the impact of European Foulbrood and delve into the intriguing debate between native bees and honey bees on public lands, exploring the complexities surrounding this ongoing issue.

We hope you enjoy the episode. Leave comments and questions in the Comments Section of the episode's website.

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast:

• Dr. Andony Melathopoulos: https://extension.oregonstate.edu/people/andony-melathopoulos
• PolliNation Podcast: https://extension.oregonstate.edu/podcast/pollination-podcast
• Oregon State Master Melittologist Program: https://extension.oregonstate.edu/master-melittologist
• Beekeeping Today Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@beekeepingtodaypodcast
• Honey Bee Obscura: https://www.honeybeeobscura.com

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Betterbee is the presensting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode!

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their support. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

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We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: [email protected]

Thank you for listening!

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Wedding D...