Dr. Jamie Ellis
Talks:
Friday:
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Are pollen substitutes good for honey bees – Beekeepers feed pollen substitutes to their honey bee colonies to mitigate a lack of natural pollen resources in the environment. Despite their widespread use, it is unclear if pollen substitutes are beneficial to colony health and productivity. In this lecture, Dr. Ellis reviews the literature regarding the use of pollen substitutes. Specifically, he discusses the consumption/palatability of pollen substitutes and the impact of pollen substitutes on colony productivity, pest and disease susceptibility, and bee physiology.
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Saturday:
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Addressing the sustainability of beekeeping -
In many ways, beekeeping is harder than ever. Colony loss rates are high in many areas around the world. Old pests and pathogens continue to cause problems. New pests and pathogens threaten colony health. In this climate, university faculty are challenged to address the problems facing honey bees in an ever-changing colony health environment. Herein, Dr. Ellis will discuss what he and his team are doing to address bee colony health, with an eye toward improving the sustainability of beekeeping in the U.S. and beyond.
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Saturday Night Banquet:
Enjoy an entertaining talk by Jamie Ellis while you wine and dine.
Bio
GAHAN ENDOWED PROFESSOR, HONEY BEE HUSBANDRY, ECOLOGY, AND CONSERVATION; INTEGRATED CROP POLLINATION
Dr. Ellis is the Gahan Endowed Professor of Entomology in the Department of Entomology and Nematology at the University of Florida. At the University of Florida, Dr. Ellis has responsibilities in extension, instruction and research related to honey bees. Regarding his extension work, Dr. Ellis created the UF, South Florida, and Caribbean Bee Colleges, and the UF Master Beekeeper Program. As an instructor, Dr. Ellis supervises Ph.D. and masters students in addition to offering an online course in apiculture. Dr. Ellis and his team conduct research projects in the fields of honey bee husbandry, conservation and ecology, and integrated crop pollination.