For most of us, the sight of a bee might bring about a sense of unease. But for those people who study these amazing creatures, they represent an integral part of our planet and our food supply. Today, we’re going to explore the benefits of bees and why we should learn to love them rather than fear them.

Our first guest is Noah Wilson Rich, the CEO of Best Bees. He’s been researching bees for decades although over the last few years, he has found a love for urban beekeeping. We learn about how bees have been a part of our human history and how that place is in danger due to some troublesome microbial enemies. Thankfully, having bees in the city may be a way to ensure they continue to support us with their pollinating prowess.

We next talk with Jonathan Giacomini, a doctoral student at North Carolina State University. He’s been exploring ways to improve bee health using plants and has found one that seems to help prevent nasty infections. It’s the sunflower. We learn why this staple of summer is so good for bees and what we can do in our lives to help sustain their numbers.  

In our SASS Class, we turn to Paul Kelly. He’s the manager of the Honey Bee Research Center at the University of Guelph. He has been working with bees for over three decades and now helps people learn how to find love through a combination of research and also courses on beekeeping. He’ll explain how the research into bees has changed over the years and how we can get involved to ensure they never disappear. 

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Twitter: @JATetro
Email: [email protected]

Guests:
Noah Wilson Rich
CEO, Best Bees
http://bestbees.com
Twitter: @NoahWilsonRich

Jonathan Giacomini
Doctoral Student, North Carolina State University
https://irwinlab.weebly.com/people.html
Twitter: @JonGiacomini

Paul Kelly
Apiarist, Honey Bee Research Centre, University of Guelph
https://www.uoguelph.ca/ses/people/paul-kelly

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