Current Projects

Kleptocytosis

Varroa mites are the only known parasite to steal the constituents of their egg yolk rather than produce them. This creates a highly vulnerable dependence that the RRF is working to exploit. Success in this project would result in sustainable control, if not outright eradication, of one of the most economically damaging parasites on earth (with further implications for the control of the Tropi mite). This will be a multi-year project.

International Research Labs

Our goal in each country we work in is to advance the local research standards for pollinator research. However, many regions within Asia do not have the equipment and facilities needed to conduct our critical experiments. Additionally, transporting large, expensive equipment frequently, invites extortion, loss of equipment, and hefty shipping and storage fees. We need to invest in launching and maintaining strategically-located (Japan, Thailand, and Sri Lanka) lab facilities with state-of-the-art-equipment.

Honey Bee-nome Project

Collecting the obscure bee species that are not sequenced to contemporary standards will require an additional 2 years of funding. These bees can be found in the Philippines, Indonesian Borneo and Malaysia, which will require extensive travel.

Global Symbiosis Compendium

We cannot be prepared for new honey bee diseases if we wait for them to arrive in the West before conducting study of them. The RRF is currently funded for 2 years to provide targeted research which will support emergency response plans for select bee diseases / parasites. However, this study requires at least 7 years of research and travel to all major regions of Asia to document poorly studied / undescribed diseases and parasites.

Superorganism Behavioral Research

Understanding how honey bees manage parasites and disease as a collective is integral to understanding how to aid them in this process. The RRF has invested in equipment that will allow us to view inside of a colony with red light invisible to the bees such that we can see this process without disturbing natural behaviors. We still need to purchase additional equipment and pay the salary of a dedicated postdoc or graduate student.

Tropi Tracking & Management

Tropi mites are devastating bee populations globally, but have not yet arrived in the West. To avoid being caught off-guard, RRF aims to coordinate global diagnostics of honey bee populations in partnership with local inspectors to confirm the location of this parasite and further coordinate efforts to test control measures. This would be an ongoing project in need of consistent institutional support.

Pollinator Garden Initiative

RRF has partnered with the World Wildlife Fund Tangled Bank Studios, HHMI, and Nat Geo to encourage the general populace to commit to planting 1 square foot of wildflowers in around whatever property they own, which would be a substantial boon to pollinator health. The Boulder Bee Lab and RRF will be emphasizing the importance of this work by planting our own pollinator garden open to the community as an outreach tool.