Dr. Ramesh Sagili of Oregon State University joins Jeff and Becky to dive deep into the fascinating world of honey bee nutrition and its critical role in hive health. From the complexities of macronutrients and micronutrients to the development of a national pollen nutritional database, Ramesh shares insights from his groundbreaking research. He explains how optimal nutrition not only helps bees combat stressors like Varroa mites and pathogens but also contributes to successful overwintering and queen rearing.

The episode also touches on the challenges of studying honey bee nutrition, including the intricate dynamics between larval and adult diets. Ramesh reveals his team’s progress on a nationwide project to assess pollen quality, aiming to provide data-driven recommendations for planting pollinator-friendly habitats. He also offers a glimpse into his European Foulbrood study, linking the disease to poor nutrition during blueberry pollination.

Listeners will gain a deeper understanding of why “a well-fed bee is a healthy bee” and learn actionable ways to support honey bee health through better forage and habitat management. Whether you’re a backyard hobbyist or a commercial beekeeper, this episode is packed with insights to help you keep your colonies thriving.

Listen Today!

Websites we recommend:

Oregon State University Bee Lab: https://honeybeelab.oregonstate.edu
EFB Research at OSU: https://news.oregonstate.edu/news/oregon-state-researchers-lead-42-million-usda-grant-study-disease-plaguing-honey-bees
Honey Bee Health Coalition: https://honeybeehealthcoalition.org
The National Honey Board: https://honey.com

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast: https://honeybeeobscura.com
2 Million Blossoms - The Podcast: https://2millionblossoms.com

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Betterbee is the presenting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Betterbee’s mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode!

Thanks to Bee Smart Designs as a sponsor of this podcast! Bee Smart Designs is the creator of innovative, modular and interchangeable hive systems made in the USA using recycled and American sourced materials. Bee Smart Designs - Simply better beekeeping for the modern beekeeper.

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Find out more about their line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

Thanks for Northern Bee Books for their support. Northern Bee Books is the publisher of bee books available worldwide from their website or from Amazon and bookstores everywhere. They are also the publishers of The Beekeepers Quarterly and Natural Bee Husbandry.

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We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thank you for listening!

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Faraday by BeGun; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Wedding Day by Boomer; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; Red Jack Blues by Daniel Hart; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott.

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Honey Bee Micro-Nutrition and Pollen with Dr. Ramesh Sagili (308)

Beekeeping Today Podcast