Field protocols - Sampling for Lab analyses
An essential task of Work Package 1 is to optimize and standardize data collection methods for identifying and monitoring the health status of honeybee colonies. We strive for all actions to be harmonized, and that differences due to the manipulator and/or the procedure are brought to a minimum.
The current protocol documents the sampling bees for lab analysis on genotyping and diseases. Samples by project participants are collected three times a year (spring, summer and autumn) and sent to European Reference Labs for analysis. Diseases of main interests are: Varroa mites, Deformed Wing Virus (DWV), Nosema spp., American foulbrood (AFB), European foulbrood (EFB), Acute Bee Paralysis (ABPV) and Chronic Bee Paralysis (CBPV), sacbrood virus (SBV). These honey bee diseases are known to be mostly wide spread in all colonies. Once a colony is weakened due to a variety of circumstances (i.e. old queen, bad weather conditions, forage/food shortage), pathogens may become more prevalent and can have devasting consequences on bee health.
Genotyping is mostly done to seek for genetic make-up and differences in bee samples. Using molecular tools, currently being developed in WP2, we aim to find genetic variations associated with Varroa-resistance of the colony. The results of these analyses are shared with apiary owners.
For more information about this, please visit: www.b-good-project.eu/
Giving Beekeeping Guidance by cOmputatiOnal-assisted Decision making (B-GOOD)
Ongoing | 2019-2023
- Main funding source
- Horizon 2020 (EU Research and Innovation Programme)
- Geographical location
- Belgium