#boilerbeehoney 2021 is underway. Thanks @purduefoodscience for making this collaboration so wonderful. @dadantbeekeeping, I think we need to upgrade our 20 frame extractor.
We have some nice swag here in Indiana. I may now have a near-complete TBoI wardrobe. #beekeeping #indiana #swag #purdue
It's pollinator week. Check out this article Purdue AgComm put together on why you should care about all our pollinators (not just bees!) Link in description.
Finally got a chance to have the lab together and get a photo. I'm very grateful for everyone here, they're a wonderful bunch. Also, they make really good food for a potluck.
What a site! We had a Bombus pensylvanicus (American Bumble bee) queen visiting our lab garden yesterday. She loved the wild indigo. This species has experienced significant population declines and is currently listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN. Tha
It's a lot of fun work with the engineers here at Purdue. This xradia versa xrm-620 allows us to get sub-micron x-rays and figure out how honey bees make comb and how they make such a strong structure out of a seemingly weak material. #purdue #bees
Cicadas are here! If you see any on or near your colonies there is really no need to worry. They won't stick around long and they can't hurt your bees. We heard of some folks considering spraying them. Please don't do this. You're witnessing a remark
See anything weird? This drone has two bulbs at the end of its endophallus and they both have a normal amount of semen! What!! This is something we've never seen in the lab and is a 1/20000 chance at least. Crudely put: this guy has 2 functioning p
Always look up plants before you buy them. This is on sale at Lowe's here in Lafayette. It's a listed invasive species that spreads easily and out competes native species. Also, keep asking your local box store for more native species. We have some b
Sound on! It's swarm season and we caught this one in the act. Swipe right to see the cluster. In the Spring, healthy honey bee colonies may make a second queen. The colony will split and half of the workers will leave with the original queen to f
Love spring ephemerals. Here is blood root (Sanguinaria canadensis) a beautiful native species. They are pollinated by spring bees and their seeds are spread by ants. This plant happens to be in the woodland garden at my home :)
Looking like it might be field season soon...
We're excited to host Cooper Schouten next week for a special seminar. He'll be talking to us about beekeeping programs in developing countries. If you'd like to join us, registrater with the link in the bio. #purdue #beekeeping #extension
That's no moon! It's an adult female Varroa mite, the primary pest of Apis mellifera, globally. Image from Denmark et al. (1991; Entm. Circ.)
Spotted @greatharvest in Lafayette. You can get Boiler Bee honey in their holiday gift boxes this year. It's not too late to pick one up..... #boilerbeehoney #purdueuniversity
Our final contender: This is a Honey Vanilla Slice with honeycomb. On the left is the original recipe and on the right is my take on it with a little natural capped honeycomb. This is a puff pastry with a honey and vanilla flavored custard in the mid
Bake off contender number 3: An Appalachian Mist cookie with royal icing. This is a take on London Fog shortbread.  I modified this though so instead of just the recipes called for Earl Grey tea and vanilla, I added in some good ol’ N
Second Bake off contender: Everyone is worried about invasive hornets, but look at the size of this infant-bee! Here we have a rustic honey cake in the shape of a honey bee colony. #HarpurLabBakeOff #boilerbeehoney #purdue #adorable
The first Bake Off contender: Ginger Spice Honey Loaf. The holidays just got better with the aromatic splendor and taste! #HarpurLabBakeOff #boilerbeehoney #purdue