To the lab we go...

So we've started doing practice to find nosema spores in bees. 

The process consists of removing the abdomens of 16 bees from each sample.

Placing them in a mortar and crushing them to a paste. Then adding 30 ml distilled water.

Afterwards, using a fine capillary tube we place it on a slide with a counting grid and proceed to count under the microscope.

These are a few of the bee larvae within the combs. You can tell the more mature larvae as their eyes are pink and they are darker in colour.

Here is Dwayne, the head of the project, demonstrating/observing the larvae under a dissecting microscope for varroa mites.

We've also engaged in the process of melting the wax to a liquid consistency so that we could fill them in petri dishes. The dried petri dishes would consequently be used in future experiments that require pinning the bees in place.

Removal of impurities from the melted wax

Dried wax that has a lovely smell reminiscent of honey.

Bubbling...

The ECBREC Project

St. George's University, in collaboration with University of Florida and local governments, is launching a new project called ECBREC.

ECBREC stands for 'East Caribbean Bee Research & Extension Center." The project aims to improve the health and productivity of bees in Grenada and the Caribbean region by focusing research on livestock sustainability, native bees, honey bee husbandry, ecology, behaviour, and conservation.

The results would be shared with public and private sector groups. Also, the project aims to involve local students in the project endeavours.