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Malta: European experts to discuss ways to protect endemic bees

SmartBees are in Malta discuss ways to protect endemic bees

The Times of Malta has covered a meeting that members of the SmartBees consortium organized.

The article is linked here or for download here.

SMARTBEES at the EURBEE, Congress of Apidology

We would be glad if you could join us at EURBEE in Cluj, Romania, on Friday 9th in the “Regele Ferdinand” Amphitheater where several partners will be presenting their results obtained so far and will give an outlook of the work ahead:

After a short introduction by coordinator Kaspar Bienefeld at 9:45 Desiderato Annoscia will talk about "Varroa destructor and Deformed Wing Virus are linked in a mutualistic symbiosis accounting for their major role in honeybee colony collapses ";

after this presentation Adrian Siceanu will be presenting about: Preliminary study regarding infestation level of Varroa (Varroa destructor) correlated with honeybee colonies survival in a case study in Romania.

Further speakers are
  • Ralph Buchler: Low Varroa mite reproduction in European honey bees
  • Gennaro di Prisco: Neonicotinoids and immunity
  • Ewan Campbell: Proteomic analysis of Varroa destructor saliva: do factors in mite saliva affect bee immuno-competence?
  • Jakob Wegener: Proteomic analysis of hygienic behaviour in Apis mellifera carnica
  • Marina Meixner: Genetic and morphometric variation of A. mellifera mellifera across its range
  • Aleksander Uzunov: Genetic improvement of European honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) populations
The complete program is found here.


SMARTBEES in the EU Research and Innovation Magazine!

The Horizon Magazine brings you the latest news and features about thought-provoking science and innovative research projects funded by the EU. In the May issue which was dedicated to all kinds of interesting facts about insects the SMARTBEES project has been included. This is the text:

Researchers are developing mite-resistant bees:
The average worker bee can pollinate up to 5 000 flowers in one day, yet only produces 1/12 of a teaspoon of honey in its entire life. Honey production and pollination may be at risk as the bee population in parts of Europe continues to dwindle due a decline in habitable space, pesticides, and the deadly varroa mite, which has been the main reason for the majority of colony losses over the last 50 years. Some researchers, backed by EU funding, are looking into ways to measure bees’ resistance against the mite to teach beekeepers how to breed stronger populations.

You may find the full text entitled "Eight creepy crawly facts that will really bug you" if follow this link.

Training in Lithuania

On April 30th and May 1st a training event was held in Lithuania with 45 breeders.


Training in France

In beautiful Avignon, France, another training session was concluded in early April. 35 breeders/beekeepers from entire France attended.

Training Portugal and Malta

2016 started with two further training seminars: 35 breeders met in Portugal (Nisa, 3rd or March) and in Malta the SmartBees team met with 14 breeders (6.3.2016).

SMARTBEES at the 5th Panhellenic Beekeeping Congress

SMARTBEES activities of the team of Agricultural University of Athens-Greece (Laboratory of Agricultural Zoology and Entomology) were presented in 5th Panhellenic Beekeeping Congress, Piraeus, Greece, 4-6 December 2015.
Please find the talk (in Greek) for download here.

SMARTBEES at the 16th Panhellenic Entomological Congress

The team of Agricultural University of Athens-Greece (Laboratory of Agricultural Zoology and Entomology) published a poster presenting “SMARTBEES” project, in 16th Panhellenic Entomological Congress, Heraklio, Crete, Greece, 20-23 October 2015.
You may find the poster (in Greek) here for download.