Research Focus
Control of varroa mites and other maladies of honey bees. We are studying (1) the live mites which fall from the honey bee colony to the hive bottom board, and a method for eliminating these mites which would otherwise return to the colony; (2) the intra-apiary movement of mites among hives by drifting bees, and a sampling scheme which is based on this movement; (3) resistance to varroa mites, and other desirable traits, in honey bee colonies (aka "survivor hives") which have been unmanaged or feral for many years, and (4) transmission of Nosema apis among honey bees.
For extension publications and information, see our Apiculture Extension page.
Staff
- Thomas Webster, Principal Investigator 502-597-6351
- Etta M. Thacker, Research Assistant 502-597-6351
Recent Publications
Webster, T. C. 2004 in press. Honey bee. In Encyclopedia of Entomology . KluwerAcademic Publishers.
Webster, T. C. 2004 in press. Tracheal mite. In Encyclopedia of Entomology . Kluwer Academic Publishers..
Webster, T. C., K. W. Pomper, G. Hunt, E. M. Thacker and S. C. Jones.2004. Nosema apis infection in worker and queen Apis mellifera. Apidologie 35:49-54.
Webster, T. C., F. E. Vorisek and E. M. Thacker. 2003. Long term effects of bottom board screens for control of Varroa destructor in bee hives. Thirteenth Biennial Research Symposium 2003, p. 116.
Webster, T. C., E. M. Thacker and F. V. Vorisek. 2002. Measurement of live Varroa jacobsoni mitefall in honey bee hives. Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Africanized Honey Bees and Bee Mites. Pp. 169-170.
Vorisek, F. V., T. C. Webster and E. M. Thacker.2002. Control of Varroa jacobsoni with bottom board traps in honey bee hives. Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Africanized Honey Bees and Bee Mites. Pp. 171-172.
Webster, T. C., F. E. Vorisek and E. M. Thacker. 2001. Do feral honey bees carry traits for varroa mite resistance? American Bee Journal 141: 895. PS (EA 10-99-30P)
Vorisek, F., T. Webster and E. Thacker.2000. Natural selection of honey bees for resistance to varroa mites. Association of Research Directors 12th Biennial Research Symposium, p. 117.
Vorisek, F. E., T. C. Webster and E. M. Thacker.2000. Control of Varroa jacobsoni with bottom board traps in honey bee hives. Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Africanized Honey Bees and Bee Mites. American Bee Journal 140: 747. PS (10-99-30P)
Webster, T. C., E. M. Thacker and F. E. Vorisek. 2000. Measurement of live Varroa jacobsoni mite fall in honey bee hives. Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Africanized Honey Bees and Bee Mites. American Bee Journal 140: 747. PS (10-99-30P)
Webster, T. C., E. M. Thacker and F. E. Vorisek. 2000. Development of an apiary sampling scheme for parasitic mites. American Bee Journal 140: 908. PS (10-99-30P)
Webster, T. C. and K. S. Delaplane, eds. 2001. Mites of the Honey Bee . Dadant and Sons. Hamilton IL
Webster, T. C. 2001. Methods for detection of Varroa jacobsoni in honey bee colonies. Mites of the Honey Bee . T. C. Webster and K. S. Delaplane, eds, Dadant and Sons. Hamilton IL
Webster, T. C., E. M. Thacker and F. E. Vorisek. 2000. Live Varroa jacobsoni (Mesostigmata: Varroidae) fallen from honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) colonies. Journal Economic Entomology 93:1596-1601.
Webster, T. and D. Caron.1999. Observation hives: How to set up, maintain and use a window to the world of honey bees . A. I. Root. Medina OH
Webster, T. C. and E. M. Thacker. 1999. Fall of live varroa mites from honey bee colonies. Proceedings: Apimonda ’99 Congress XXXVI, Vancouver Canada. 97-98.