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Dr. Sam Ramsey joins us again to share what he has found from his most recent work on Tropilaelaps mites in Thailand. He has been looking at the history of this mite’s movement around the world, the biology and its life cycle. Just as...
Dr. Sam Ramsey joins us again to share what he has found from his most recent work on Tropilaelaps mites in Thailand. He has been looking at the history of this mite’s movement around the world, the biology and its life cycle. Just as important he is exploring the differences and the similarities of the Tropilaelaps to the Varroa mite. His work points out why this pest is so very difficult to control with chemicals, why it is so genetically diverse, what helps it adapt quickly to new control tactics and why populations build so fast in the colonies it infests.
His work was interrupted by the spread of Covid-19 around the world and he had to return home this spring. We were able to catch up with Sammy while he is back in Maryland, exploring the possibility of making honey bee larvae produce fat bodies without the necessary proteins that varroa need to develop. Meanwhile, he is looking forward to going back to Thailand and 
picking up where he dropped off.
Listen today and you will understand why the Tropilaelaps is a far greater threat than the varroa ever has been.
You can listen to Sammy's talk with us about the varroa mite and the honey bee fat body during our Season 1 visit with him by clicking here.
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We want to also thank 2 Million Blossoms as a sponsor of the podcast. 2 Million Blossoms is a new quarterly magazine destined for your coffee table. Each page of the magazine is dedicated to the stories and photos of all pollinators and written by leading researchers, photographers and our very own, Kim Flottum.
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We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com
Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com
Thank you for listening!
Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong"
PhD, Marvin Caruthers Endowed Professor of Entomology *National Geographic* Explorer BioFrontiers Institute
Dr. Ramsey is the endowed professor of entomology at the University of Colorado Boulder, where he teaches about effective communication and how understanding of the deep interconnectedness of all organisms can solve real-world problems. He is also the founder of The Ramsey Research Foundation, which conducts cutting-edge, novel research on issues affecting pollinator health globally — including parasite spread, disease management, and habitat preservation. He has utilized his exceptional skillset working in academia, industry, and government — including alongside the U.S. Supreme Court, House of Representatives, and the United States Department of Agriculture.
A powerful voice in the science community and beyond, Dr. Ramsey is a National Geographic explorer who was recognized by the publication as a 2022 Wayfinder Award recipient, which honors individuals leading a new age of exploration through science, education, conservation, technology, and storytelling. He has shared his insights and expertise in the Hulu docuseries Your Attention Please, as well as in the Washington Post, on NPR, CNN, Wired, CBS Mornings, Khan Academy, Seeker, The Today Show, and several local news segments. He also authored a chapter in the book The Future of Exploration, in which 35+ world-renowned science leaders share firsthand accounts of adventure and discovery in their fields.
Dr. Ramsey graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Entomology from Cornell and later earned a Ph.D. at the University of Maryland. He completed his post-doctoral training at USDA-ARS Bee Research Labo…
