Exciting new book to facilitate worldwide honey bee research

publication date: Apr 3, 2012
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International Bee Research AssociationIBRA Logo

The world's longest established apicultural research publishers

 Press Release

[02/04/2012]

Exciting new book to facilitate worldwide honey bee research

The honey bee is probably the most well studied insect in the world, yet despite this, much remains unknown. Recent concern about worldwide colony losses has drawn sharp attention to significant gaps in our knowledge.


Since 2008, the international COLOSS (Prevention of honey bee COlony LOSSes) network (currently supported by COST and the Ricola Foundation - Nature & Culture) has been coordinating scientific efforts to understand the causes of colony losses and to reverse these declines. Unprecedented international cooperation among scientists has ensured a very fruitful network.


COLOSS COST Action Chair Peter Neumann says: “After four years of activity, the COLOSS network has organized eight conferences, 28 workshops, 29 Short-term Scientific Missions, three training schools, and has contributed to over 130 publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals. We intend to use the strength of COLOSS to solve an immediate problem experienced by honey bee researchers: the lack of standardisation of experimental methods that makes comparison of the results of experiments carried out in different countries difficult”.


A paper published today in the Journal of Apicultural Research introduces the COLOSS “BEEBOOK”, a unique venture that aims to standardise methods for studying the honey bee. It will be the definitive, but evolving, research manual, composed of 29 peer-reviewed chapters authored by more than 160 of the world’s leading honey bee experts, and is expected to be completed by late 2012. Chapters will describe methods for studying honey bee biology, methods for understanding honey bee pests and pathogens, and methods for breeding honey bees.


The COLOSS “BEEBOOK: standard methodologies for Apis mellifera research” edited by Vincent Dietemann and Peter Neumann of the Swiss Bee Research Centre, Agroscope Liebefeld-Posieux and Jamie Ellis of the University of Florida, USA, will be published both online as an Open Access Special Issue of the Journal of Apicultural Research and as a hard copy book for use at the laboratory bench.

IBRA Science Director and JAR Senior Editor Norman Carreck says: “IBRA is delighted to be associated with this unique and exciting project which will reap enormous benefits for the worldwide bee research community”.


 Press Release


 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT

Norman Carreck, Scientific Director, IBRA +44 (0)791 8670169 Email: carrecknl@ibra.org.uk

NOTES FOR EDITORS:-

1. The article “An update on the COLOSS network and the BEEBOOK: standard methodologies for Apis mellifera research” is available at:-

http://www.ibra.org.uk/articles/COLOSS-and-the-BEEBOOK

2. The International Bee Research Association (“IBRA”) is the world's longest established apicultural research publishers and promotes the value of bees by providing information on bee science, bee conservation and beekeeping worldwide.

3. IBRA publishes the peer reviewed scientific journal the Journal of Apicultural Research founded by IBRA in 1962. It includes original research articles, theoretical papers; scientific notes and comments; together with authoritative reviews on scientific aspects of the biology, ecology, natural history, conservation and culture of all types of bee.

4. IBRA publishes and sells books on bee science, bee conservation and beekeeping and also provides bee information services. IBRA is a Registered Charity, and its Council of trustees boasts some of the world’s leading bee scientists.

5. Membership of IBRA costs just £33.00 annually. Membership benefits include receipt of four quarterly issues of Bee World, our accessible and topical journal on latest bee research, news, reviews and other relevant information for the bee scientist, beekeeper, and anyone with an interest in bees.

6. COLOSS is a network funded by the European Union COST Programme (Action FA0803) and the Ricola Foundation – Nature & Culture, which aims to explain and prevent massive honey bee colony losses. The network does not directly support science, but aims to coordinate international research activities across Europe and worldwide, promoting cooperative approaches and a research programme with a strong focus on the transfer of science into beekeeping practice. COLOSS has approximately 300 members drawn from 59 countries worldwide. It is chaired by Dr Peter Neumann of the Swiss Bee Research Centre, Liebefeld. Website http://www.coloss.org/ 

 

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