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Apiculture program buzzing along

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WILBERFORCE — Research and extension efforts at Central State University are literally buzzing through the apiculture program coordinated by CSU Research Assistant Professor Hongmei Li-Byarlay, Ph.D.

Apiculture, the maintenance of honeybees and hives, provides farmers and hobbyists with a variety of enterprises including production of beeswax, honey, and other edible bee products; crop pollination services and sale of bees to other beekeepers.

Central State’s research focuses on testing innovative hypotheses in the fields of sustainable apiculture, genomics, genetics, behavior, and stress physiology of honeybees and pollinators.

“Honeybees are the most important managed pollinators for our food and crop production,” Li-Byarlay said. “We aim to improve honeybee health by selecting the stocks with mite resistant traits specifically, focusing on the evolutionary genetics and epigenetics, the brain, and the social behaviors of honeybees.”

The growing academic program maintains a bee yard at the CSU research farms as well as working with local beekeepers and researchers throughout the nation. The program will be featured on an upcoming In Ohio Country television program that airs throughout the Midwest. For more information about the Central State University Extension apiculture program, contact Li-Byarlay at [email protected].

Dr. Hongmei Li-Byarlay uses a ‘smoker’ as she works with the bees.
https://www.xeniagazette.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2020/08/web1_DSC_0595.jpgDr. Hongmei Li-Byarlay uses a ‘smoker’ as she works with the bees.

The bee hive box is opened with the frames providing structural support for the honeycomb that honey bees draw out for egg and food storage.
https://www.xeniagazette.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2020/08/web1_DSC_0601.jpgThe bee hive box is opened with the frames providing structural support for the honeycomb that honey bees draw out for egg and food storage.

Submitted photos With a close look at the internal bee frame, the queen can be identified by the small blue dot on her back.
https://www.xeniagazette.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2020/08/web1_DSC_0611.jpgSubmitted photos With a close look at the internal bee frame, the queen can be identified by the small blue dot on her back.