# Honey Bee Research Lab In Ohio Closed To Save $242,000



## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

From the Columbus Dispatch, Columbus, Ohio


As scientists nationwide are trying to figure out why honeybees are abandoning their hives and dying, Ohio State University has abandoned its bee research. 

Ohio State has cut funding for the Rothenbuhler Honey Bee Research Laboratory, which was created in 1989 and was once home to two renowned bee experts. 

Susan Fisher, chairwoman of the Ohio State entomology department, said the lab's demise began in 2005 when Brian Smith, a neurobiologist studying how bees learn, took a job at Arizona State University. He wasn't replaced.

Two years later, researcher Susan Cobey, an expert in artificial insemination and breeding, left for the University of California at Davis. Ohio State did not fill the position.

"I'm very frustrated by this," Fisher said. "If there is any single area in which we should be investing in entomology, this is certainly one of them."

Colony collapse disorder has caused bees to abandon their hives and killed billions of bees in 35 states. Beekeepers lost 35 percent of their hives to the disorder this year and 31 percent last year.

Last year, Ohio lost about 72 percent of its hives -- about 1 billion bees -- to colony collapse and harsh weather. Ohio bees, which pollinate more than 70 crops, including apples, peaches, strawberries and pumpkins, have done better this year.

Nationwide, bees pollinate $14.6 billion worth of fruits and vegetables every year.

Rich Hall, associate dean of Ohio State's College of Biological Sciences, said the decision to mothball biological bee research freed more than $242,000 annually in salaries, benefits and maintenance costs.

He said the money went to support and expand research in biochemistry, molecular genetics and organismal biology.

"It's a question of priorities," Hall said. "The department of entomology has relatively few students taking those courses."

Fifteen majors are offered in entomology. The college, with an annual budget of $24.9 million, offers 3,000 majors, Hall said.

The loss of Rothenbuhler isn't the end of Ohio State's work with honeybees. A separate OSU honeybee lab exists in Wooster.

Jim Tew, an OSU beekeeping specialist, said his research is oriented to the needs of Ohio beekeepers, including strategies to help bees get through tough winters. 

Though his work can involve queens and breeding, "I'm more of a generalist," Tew said.

"My work has never been the more advanced genetic studies," he said. "I would be hard-pressed to do the kind of work Brian (Smith) was doing."

Researchers at other schools, including Penn State University, are studying Israeli acute paralysis virus as a possible cause of colony collapse.

The bee colony losses also have captured the attention of Congress, which held a hearing on the issue yesterday. Experts told a congressional panel that the worse might be yet to come.

The escalating campaign against colony collapse disorder includes state, federal and private funding for research. The recently approved federal farm bill authorizes, but does not guarantee, $20 million for bee-related studies. 

In 2005, Smith was paid an annual salary of $96,540 and was working on four research grants that totaled $1.5 million in 2003, Fisher said. In 2004, he won a $1.8 million National Institutes of Health grant for research that was supposed to continue through 2009.

"He more than paid for himself," Fisher said. "When he left, he took that money with him."

This message brought to you by Bee Culture, The Magazine Of American Beekeeping www.BeeCulture.com

For the very latest news on Colony Collapse Disorder, check out Kim Flottum's Column at

www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/blogs/bees/

The research that had been done there effected bee keepers in every state too.
 Al


----------



## copperkid3 (Mar 18, 2005)

Thanks Al for the update; it's truly hard to believe that it's only been 35 yrs since I got my first job out of college at this place!!! I'd been a hobbyist beekeeper for only about 5 yrs and spotted an ad in "Gleanings in Bee Culture" that Ohio State Universities Bee Lab was looking for a beekeeper to help maintain 350-500 colonies used in the study of various genetic/disease research of honeybees. Was about to graduate with little prospects in my chosen field, as the economic climate throughout the country was similar to what we are experiencing today.......so I thought, "hey, why not?".....got nothing to lose......why not give it a shot. And somehow I got the job, learned a lot and while I didn't get rich......it paid the bills for almost 2 yrs until other things came along that lwere more promising. My immediate supervisor and I, soon had a falling out and didn't get along too well after the first year, but Dr. Rothenbuhler; who was *his* immediated supervisor, came in and worked things out so that I could continue there on a part-time basis and for that I was thankful. He was a credit to his profession and I was happy to see that they named the Lab in his memory. I've only been back there one time since leaving and it's hard to believe that it will now be closed......hopefully the University will eventually find the necessary funds to continue the research that is so desparately needed in this field.


----------



## stranger (Feb 24, 2008)

does it really take a scientist and a ton of money to figure out that everything on earth was here a million years before Monsanto, duponte and other chemicial companies started spreading their poison in the name of the almighty dollar.
we stopped DDT because it hurt humans but really don't care about the other chemicals because they only hurt the planet and insects, animals.
just stop the lobbists from greasing palms in DC and you'll know how harmful some of these thing are. every can of spray will have a little sign on it like the sigh on ciggs. *Caution, this chemicalmay make your bees leave and not return because they had their brain burned by a chemical that we thought was safe, well at least we knew it was a little safe for humans, we just didn't test it on Bees.*


----------



## james dilley (Mar 21, 2004)

Just remembered the U S D A is closeing the Weslaco Texas research center in A year or so. They work with the Africanized bees there ! plus Citrus research too.


----------



## Beltane (Nov 27, 2005)

How very sad.


----------



## Durandal (Aug 19, 2007)

We are also doing away with all State level bee inspecting.

Counties, if they so choose to participate in their own programs will continue to do so.

Go figure.


----------



## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Michigan did away with the inspecting of bees years ago. I can not say if it has hurt because it was before my beekeeping experince. 
They did pass a law 3 years ago where unless we have a resturant type honey house we can not sell our honey any place except from our own home or to a wholesaler.

(1. how is our honey a hazard to people who buy it at flea markets, farmers markets or any place else if it is safe to sell from the house?

(2. How can the bee keeper from Ohio come to the farmers market in Detroit ever Saturday and sell his honey with out having a Michigan state honey house inspection cert.? Al we will get back with you on that question, a year and a half ago.

Stupid laws for the masses. 

 Al


----------

