to get a clearer understanding of the interactions between the individual bee, the bee colony, bee diseases and environmental parameters.
to define the conditions for a healthy bee colony.
to improve these conditions by specific measures.
Reference of the project to the funding policy objectives
Evaluation of parameters to describe the vitality of bee colonies (definition of the reference model ‘vital bee colony’)
In doing so, we will define and quantify those parameters that are significant for the bee colony's health. We consider these parameters at various levels of biological organisation (individual bee, bee colony and apiary).
Investigation of multifactorial influences on the vitality of individual bees and on the bee colony
We will study the influences of diseases, crop protection products and nutritional quality, isolated or in combination. For this purpose, we build various experimental arrangements and develop an experimental model as well as diagnostic tools with which to measure corresponding injury thresholds.
Investigation of bee diseases
We aim to find solutions to the two most important current bee diseases in connection with bee losses in Germany: Varroosis und Nosemosis. For both, innovative control and preventative processes will be developed. Analysing the transmission of pathogens from colony to colony will allow the development of new apicultural measures aimed at breaking the disease transmission chain.
Studies on the significance of agricultural production methods
Considering rape as a focal crop plant species, the chronic and sublethal influences of nutrition by pollen and crop protection products will be examined and methods will be worked out in order to (a) preserve an adequate supply of pollen and to (b) reduce the import of crop protection products into the bee colony.
