Research

The E. L. Niño Bee Lab focuses on understanding and solving the many challenges facing honey bees today. Our research addresses critical stressors such as parasites, diseases, inadequate nutrition, and environmental pressures, all with the goal of improving honey bee health and supporting beekeepers and agriculture. We work closely with California’s beekeepers and almond growers to ensure our scientific findings lead to practical solutions in the field. From advancing bee breeding to launching innovative initiatives like the Bee Health Hub, the lab bridges cutting-edge research with real-world impact for honey bees.

Varroa Mite Management

Parasitic Varroa destructor mites remain one of the most destructive threats to honey bee colonies. Managing these mites is essential, as high varroa infestations spread viruses and often lead to colony collapse. Our lab is developing better strategies for varroa control through both new treatments and bee breeding. In collaboration with partners, we have tested a range of “soft” miticides and biopesticides (including beneficial fungi, organic acids, and essential oils) to find effective options that are safe for bees. These trials have shown promise, though bringing a new mite treatment to market is a complex task. One promising formula we tested has now been commercialized, giving beekeepers an additional tool.

Alongside chemical controls, we also investigate breeding honey bees for greater pest tolerance. By comparing different bee stock lines, we can identify traits linked to lower mite and disease levels. This work guides breeding and selection of bees that can better cope with varroa, providing a long-term solution to mite management.

Nutrition

Good nutrition is a cornerstone of honey bee health, yet bees often face periods when flowers are scarce. Beekeepers routinely provide supplemental feed (such as sugar syrups or pollen patties) during these dearths. Our lab researches innovative additives to make these supplements more nutritious and beneficial for colonies. One focus is on probiotics: beneficial microbes mixed into feed. In our trials, colonies fed a probiotic-enhanced diet showed stronger growth and lower levels of a gut pathogen (Nosema) compared to those on standard feed.

Another approach is using plant-derived compounds in diets. For instance, adding p-coumaric acid (a natural phytochemical from pollen) to young bees’ food led to better development of their brood-nursing glands, which could improve colony performance. We are now testing such supplements in field conditions. By formulating better feeds — from live beneficial bacteria to botanical extracts — our research aims to help beekeepers keep bees well-nourished, especially when natural forage is limited.

Bee Landscapes in Agricultural and Urban Areas

The environment where bees forage plays a pivotal role in their nutrition and exposure to stressors. Our lab studies how both agricultural and urban landscapes can be optimized to support healthy honey bee populations. In California farmlands, we have shown that planting additional bee forage during crop bloom can significantly benefit colonies. By planting wildflower and mustard cover crops alongside almond orchards in early spring, we saw colonies raise more brood and enter winter with larger populations, showing that even a brief nutritional boost can yield stronger hives. This suggests that integrating bee-friendly plants into farmland can improve bee health and possibly enhance pollination.

Similarly, in urban gardens and parks, we survey hives and analyze the pollen they collect to identify which plants bees rely on and what pesticide residues they encounter. These insights help inform better habitat practices to support pollinators.

Pollination of Self-Fertile Almond Varieties

California’s almond industry relies heavily on honey bees for pollination, but new self-fertile almond varieties have prompted questions about how many bees are needed. Through field experiments in cultivars like Independence® and Shasta®, we found that honey bee visitation greatly increases the nut set and yield of self-fertile almonds. In bee-exclusion trials (where trees were caged to prevent bee visits), those trees produced far fewer nuts, confirming that even “self-pollinating” almonds benefit from bee pollinators.

We also tested different hive stocking densities in these orchards. The results showed that one strong hive per acre gave nearly the same yield as two hives per acre, with little gain beyond the first hive. This means growers could reduce hive rentals without sacrificing yield, as long as a baseline of bee activity is present. Our findings on optimal pollination strategies help growers and beekeepers work together efficiently, ensuring robust almond harvests while keeping bee colonies healthy.

Queen Reproductive Health

A healthy queen bee is the foundation of a thriving colony. Unfortunately, queen performance issues — from early queen failure to reduced egg-laying — have become a significant concern for beekeepers. The E. L. Niño Bee Lab investigates the factors that influence queen health, fertility, and longevity. Our research has revealed that the mating process triggers complex changes in a queen’s biology. For instance, we found that drone seminal fluid can induce key shifts in the queen’s physiology and behavior, influencing her egg-laying rate and pheromone signaling.

By pinpointing which mating factors and chemical signals are most important, we aim to understand why some queens remain prolific while others fail prematurely. We also study how external stressors (like pesticides, parasites, or poor nutrition) may impair queen health and reproductive success. Ultimately, this knowledge will inform breeding and management practices to produce more robust queens. A resilient queen means a stronger, more productive colony — benefiting both beekeepers and crop pollination in the long run.