Blog

The Spotted Lanternfly (SLF), Lycorma delicatula, is an invasive planthopper that is rapidly expanding its range from Pennsylvania into the rest of eastern North America and beyond. In an effort to stop the further spread of this damaging pest, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA) has established quarantine zones for all counties where the SLF has been reported. In 2019, only 14 counties were part of the quarantine zone. As of March 5, 2020, 26 counties were

The second bee-year of the COMB project was a time of splitting, swarming, and honey production. After winter losses of 62.3% in the chemical free (CF) management system, 13.0% in the conventional (CON) management system, and 14.7% in the organic (ORG) management system, we set out to recover our numbers. If a colony had at least 8 frames of brood in the spring, it was split to make a second colony. The split colony was

Honey bees are critical for crop pollination in the United States. The US is the first global producer of almonds and blueberries, and both of these crops require large numbers of managed honey bee colonies to maximize yields. In California, almond trees cover 1.4 million acres that supply about 70% of the demands worldwide. In Michigan, the acreage of blueberries has reached over 20,000 acres that produce about 100 million pounds of blueberries every year.

Are you using IPM tactics to manage varroa mites? When it comes to keeping levels of parasitic mites low, there are numerous options available. In our latest Penn State Extension article, we outline the options and how they fit on the IPM pyramid (figure 1). IPM stands for Integrated Pest Management. The pest is the varroa mite and the main idea is to try integrate various practices to manage their population, from choosing hygienic bees

López-Uribe Lab at Penn State University Spring has arrived and there is much to be excited about. Check out our research and local events from the Center for Pollinator Research and Penn State Extension. Our research and extension programs aim to integrate basic research with citizen science to understand how agricultural practices impact pollinator populations. Using these methods, we are helping inform sustainable practices and crop management strategies to both preserve bee biodiversity and increase