Past Projects Supported

PAST PROJECTS SUPPORTED

Celebration of the Bees

Marin Pollen Project
Beekeepers collected pollen monthly from thirty hive locations February 2012 through October 2012.

Pollinator Education

Romberg Center Broodless Bee Project
To study the mechanisms by which untreated colonies might be controlling varroa mite levels, particularly to attempt to document unusual broodless periods observed in bees in Marin and to determine if there is any correlation between varroa mites and Broodless periods – such as those created when colonies in colder climates shut down brood production during winter months or created by some colonies during times of dearth – assist in reducing mite populations. The relatively mild winters and nearly year round nectar and pollen availability in Marin (particularly southern Marin) mean that bees tend to produce brood throughout the year. The observation by local treatment free beekeepers that some of their colonies (again, particularly in southern Marin, though elsewhere as well) appear to be creating broodless periods when one would not expect – such as during nectar flows – begs the question of whether or not these periods are an adaptation of the bees that helps to deal with varroa mites.

Survivor Stock Queen Project
The Survivor Stock Queen Rearing Project was to cooperatively select, breed and disseminate queens with resistant and locally suited genetics. Because open mating contributes half of the genes, a component of the project was the inclusion of local beekeepers through education on the value of these characteristics.

Electronic Hive Monitoring Project in partnership with hivetool.org.

Certified Treatment Free Queen Bee Project
Our Certified Treatment Free Queen Bee Project supports our efforts to create and manage our project to certify queen bee producers who are providing treatment free queen bees with resistant and locally suited genetics.

Natural Selection Beekeepers
Natural Selection Beekeepers is a consortium of people who are working their bees using sound treatment free beekeeping strategies.