Forsyth County Beekeepers Association
FCBA October Meeting
Bee Pheromones
By Brad Metz
Ever wonder how honey bees communicate when they can't see inside the hive? How do we understand their language when we can't "smell" things like they can? Brad will provide a broad overview of honey bee chemical communication, why honey bees use scent, how pheromones function, examples of honey bee semiochemicals, and ways in which humans can or are utilizing our understanding of chemistry to communicate (or manipulate?) bees. Brad will also be bringing along safe examples of honey bee pheromones and pheromone products for nose-on demonstrations and discussions. To conclude there will be a question and answer session.
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Brad Metz is a researcher under Dr. David Tarpy of the NC State Apiculture Program. He is the lead scientist in charge of the Honey Bee Queen & Disease Clinic, an extension effort bringing lab-quality disease and reproductive assessments to industry and government partners. He also runs a small research program concerning honey bee male reproduction and quality. He earned his PhD from Texas A&M in 2009 where he studied honey bee chemical communication between adults and larvae. Brad is married with two children, both of whom think working with stinging insects is crazy, despite his best efforts to convince his own larvae otherwise.
