Extension

About 25% of my job responsibility is to reach out to beekeepers. What are the current concerns on honey bee health? Any new research development in Varroa control? What do I need to start up beekeeping? These questions and others are answered through the web, email, phone calls, or presentations at beekeeper meetings. A website started in 1997 (one year before I joined MSU), cyberbee.net, was mentioned in Science as the “Hot Pick” in website in 2001.

I am part of the Michigan Pollinator Initiative and host the Michigan Beekeeper’s Association website (providing cyberspace and technical help and regular posting).

Popular extension presentation topics:
Effect of Nosema on bee health; Varroa mite biology; Honey bee division of labor; Honey bee biology; Effect of transportation on bees; Honey Bee nutrition; Honey bee pollination of crops.

A complete list of extension topics I presented is here.
An extension impact summary is here.

Some of my my writings for extension/outreach purpose:

Feeding bees (A guide to beekeepers how to provide nutrition to honey bees)

Beebase (Linking beekeepers with fruit and vegetable growers)

Stinging Insects (Bugs around your house)

Cicada killers [html format]
Carpenter bees [html format]
European paper wasps [html format] [print-friendly pdf format]
Yellow jackets [html format] [print-friendly pdf format]
Bumble bees [html format] [print-friendly pdf format]
Baldfaced hornets [html format] [print-friendly pdf format]
Honey bees [html format] [print-friendly pdf format]

Insects as pollinators:

Honey Bees |Bumble bees | Pesticides and Bees

eXtension.org Contributions:

Huang, Z.Y. 2012. Varroa mite reproductive biology.
Huang, Z.Y. 2011. Effects of Nosema on honey bee behavior and physiology.
Huang, Z.Y. 2010. Honey bee nutrition.
Huang, Z.Y. 2010. Anatomy of the honey bee.
Huang, Z.Y. 2010. Bees and social insects.

Plants for Honey Bees

Spring

  1. Spring flower 1: Winter-aconite, Eranthis
  2. Spring flower 2: Crocus
  3. Spring flower 3: Scilla
  4. Spring flower 4: Christmas rose
  5. Spring flower 5: Anemone
  6. Spring flower 6: Eastern skunk cabbage
  7. Spring flower 7: Grape hyacinth
  8. Spring flower 8: Canola
  9. Spring flower 9: Hyacinth
  10. Spring flower 10: Maple flowers
  11. Spring flower 11: Magnolia
  12. Spring flower 12: Pussy willow
  13. Spring flower 13: Apricot
  14. Spring flower 14: Plum
  15. Spring flower 15: Cherry
  16. Spring flower 16: Flowering cherry
  17. Spring flower 17: Nanking cherry
  18. Spring flower 18: Almond
  19. Peach flowers
  20. Magnolia
  21. Honeysuckle
  22. Tulip
  23. Lilac
  24. Autumn olive
  25. Peonies
  26. Iiris
  27. Smokey tree (Cotinus), photos only
  28. Sumac

Summer

  1. Tulip poplar
  2. Bees, on peas
  3. Goji berry
  4. Kentucky yellow wood and Kentucky coffee tree
  5. Corn (photos only)
  6. Beebee tree

Fall

  1. Goldenrod (and a tagged bee!)
  2. Misty flower (Eupatorium coelestinum), and a tagged bee foraging!
  3. Ragweed (photos only)

Winter

  1. Winter flower 1: Loquat
  2. Winter flower 2: Wintersweet
  3. Winter flower 3: Chinese plum (Meihua)
  4. Winter flower 4: Eurya (Yeguihua)

Flowers under ultraviolet light as “formal publications” for references on ultravioletphotography.com:

  1. Huang, Z.Y. (2014) Disocactus ackermannii (Haw.) Barthlott (Cactaceae) Orchid Cactus. Flowers photographed in ultraviolet and visible light.
  2. Huang, Z.Y. (2014) Hoya carnosa Thunb (Apocynaceae) Wax Plant. Flowers photographed in ultraviolet and visible light.
  3. Huang, Z.Y. (2014) Lonicera japonica Thunb (Caprifoliaceae) Japanese Honeysuckle. Flowers photographed in ultraviolet and visible light.
  4. Huang, Z.Y. (2014) Penstemon digitalis Nutt. ex Sims (Plantaginaceae) Foxglove Beardtongue. Flowers photographed in ultraviolet and visible light.
  5. Huang, Z.Y. (2015) Luffa aegyptiaca Mill. (Cucurbitaceae) Luffa. Flowers photographed in ultraviolet, visible light and simulated insect vision.
  6. Huang, Z.Y. (2015) Helianthus maximiliani Schrad. (Asteraceae) Maximilian Sunflower. Flowers photographed in ultraviolet, visible light and simulated insect vision.
  7. Huang, Z.Y. (2015) Cucurbita pepo L. (Cucurbitataceae) Pumpkin. Flowers photographed in ultraviolet, visible light and simulated insect vision.
  8. Huang, Z.Y. (2015) Helianthus tuberosus L.(Asteraceae) Jerusalem Artichoke. Flowers photographed in ultraviolet, visible light and simulated insect vision.
  9. Huang, Z.Y. (2015) Cucumis sativus L. (Cucurbitaceae) Cucumber. Flowers photographed in ultraviolet, visible light and simulated insect vision.
  10. Huang, Z.Y. (2015) Solanum tuberosum L. (Solanaceae) Potato. Flowers photographed in ultraviolet, visible light and simulated insect vision.

Other

Huang, Z.Y., W. Pett. 2010. Using honey bees for fruit pollination. http://ipmnews.msu.edu/fruit /Fruit/tabid/123/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/2340/Using-honey-bees- for-fruit-pollination.aspx

Huang, Z.Y., 2010. Sugar Dusting Your Varroa Mites, Michigan Beekeepers Associate Web: http://www.michiganbees.org/ 2010/08/ sugar-dusting -your-vorroa-mites/

Huang, Z.Y., 2010. Small Hive Beetle Management in Michigan. Michigan Beekeepers Associate Web: http://www.michiganbees.org/2010/08/small-hive-beetle-aethina-tumida-management/

International Experience

  1. Australia 2007: Attending Apimondia Conference, visiting Dr. Denis Anderson at CSIRO. 2009: Visiting Fellow at the Australian National University. Working with Dr.  Shaowu Zhang on honey bee navigation and cognition. Seminar at CSIRO, Sydney and Macquarie Universities, and Canberra Beekeeping Associations.
  2. Bangladesh 2012: Two week volunteering teaching bee biology and beekeeping techniques in Manikgonj. Funded by WinRock International.
  3. Brazil 2018: Presenting at the IUSSI conference and visiting local beekeepers.
  4. Canada 19831988: Ph.D. Study. 1999-2009: regular visits for conferences and research collaborations.
  5. China 1993: Teaching and research for 3 months at China Agricultural University. 1999-2007: visiting once per year for research and seminars. Collaborations with the following universities/institutes: Beijing Apicultural Research Institute, China Agricultural University, Yunnan Agricultural University, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Jilin Apicultural Research Institute, Zhejiang University. 2008: Attending and chairing a session at the Asian Apicultural Association Conference in Hangzhou, visiting 4 universities/institutes to establish collaborations. 2009: Visiting Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden for research collaborations on pollination ecology of Primula spp. 2010: Plenary speaker on the National Honey Bee Protection meeting in Dandong, China. Preparations of manuscripts in Jiangxi and visited Shan’xi Bee Research Lab in Taiyuan, Shan’xi. 2011: Visiting Fujian, Hunan, and Jiangxi Agricultural Universities. 2012: Research in Taiyuan, Shan’xi. 2013: Research at Fujian Agric and Forestry University.  Keynote speaker at Apis cerana conference in Xinjiang. 2014-2018: yearly visits related to honey bee and varroa biology.
  6. France 1994: Attending IUSSI conference, 2002, invited by French Beekeepers Association to present four talks, visiting beekeepers and INRA researchers, 2008, Teaching laboratory techniques at University of Tours.
  7. Germany 1986: Attending IUSSI conference. 2004, Invited to present and attend the retirement workshop for Dr. Bert Holldobler.
  8. Haiti 2011: Teaching beekeepers and college students how to measure LD50 of  fluvalinate to Varroa mites, and biology of Varroa and small hive beetles. Funded by WinRock International.
  9. Japan 2005: A few bee shots on cherry flowers….unexpected one night + half day delay due to flight problems in Tokyo (that is why I love traveling!).
  10. Malaysia 2012: Chairing & presenting at 11th Asian Apicultural Association Conference in Terengganu. Photographing honey bees in a botanic garden in Kuala Lumpur.
  11. Mexico 2019: visiting wintering site of Monarch butterflies at Angangueo, Michoacán, Mexico.
  12. Nepal 2007: Two week volunteering to teach honey bee biology, beekeeping, honey processing and marketing; visiting apiaries to diagnose diseases and pests. Funded by WinRock International.
  13. New Zealand 2009: Attending a beekeeper meeting at Christchurch, visiting Dr. Alison Mercer, University of Otago.
  14. Philippines 2004: Presenting at Asian Apicultural Association Conference, harvesting A. dorsata and A. cerana to search for Varroa and Tropilaeleps mites.
  15. South Africa 2001: Presenting at Apimondia Conference, visiting an apiary.
  16. South Korea 2012:  took photos of honey bees at Seoul Plaza (I was having a 11 hour layover!), added about 3 species of plants with bees to my list.
  17. Spain 2009: Presenting at Nosema workshop, visiting apiary and lab of M. Higes.
  18. Taiwan 2006: Visiting and presenting seminars in Academia Sinica, National Taiwan, Chung Hsing & Tonghai Universities, 2012: Keynote speaker at International Symposium on Bee Health and Protection at Ilan University, seminar at Academia Sinica, National Chung Hsing, Taiwan Universities.
  19. Thailand 2000: Presenting at Asian Apicultural Association Conference, searching for A. dorsata. 2007: Visiting Burapha University, collecting A. cerana.
  20. Turkey 2010: Invited as a plenary speaker to present research on “Varroa biology” in the EuroBee 2010 meeting. Also visited beekeepers close to Ankara.
  21. Ukraine 2013: Presenting at the Apimondia conference.
  22. United Kingdom 2008: Provide consultation on Varroa biology.