News from the world of beekeeping – Items of potential interest 9 October 2019

Bees around the world have disappeared up to 90% according to recent studies, the reasons are different depending on the region, but among the main reasons are massive deforestation, lack of safe places for nests, lack of flowers, use uncontrolled pesticides, changes in soil, among others.

Why has bees been declared as the most valuable being on our planet?

The Apiculture Entrepreneurship Center of the Universidad Mayor (CeapiMayor) and the Apiculture Corporation of Chile (Cach) with the support of the Foundation for Agrarian Innovation (FIA), conducted a study where it was determined that bees are the only living being that it is not a carrier of any type of pathogen, regardless of whether it is a fungus, a virus or a bacterium.

The agriculture of the world . . .

To continue reading: https://www.globalresearch.ca/bee-most-important-living-being/5690603

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National Renewable Energy Lab Studies Plants In Twin Falls Solar Field

RACHEL COHEN

Over a dozen rows of blue solar panels stand in a grassy lot. This is the new solar field opened by Clif Bar. The panels will produce about a third of the energy needs for the company’s manufacturing plant in Twin Falls.

The National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) is studying which plants grow best around solar panels, and which ones bring pollinators with them. Clif Bar is one of 25 sites accross the country in NREL’s InSPIRE project, which is examining how things like native vegetation, beekeeping and agriculture co-exist with solar fields. Over the next decade, the lab predicts . . .

To continue reading: https://www.boisestatepublicradio.org/post/national-renewable-energy-lab-studies-plants-twin-falls-solar-field#stream/0

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Battle to save Mayo’s Great Yellow bumblebee continues

The Great Yellow bumblebee is the rarest bee in Ireland and has been classified as endangered.

Currently the only sustainable population left in Ireland can be found on the Mullet Peninsula in north Mayo, having formerly been widespread across the island of Ireland.

Mayo County Council, in partnership with Belmullet Tidy Towns, the National Biodiversity Data Centre, Birdwatch Ireland and students and staff School of Agriculture and Food Science at University College Dublin are . . .

To continue reading: https://www.con-telegraph.ie/news/roundup/articles/2019/10/09/4180691-battle-to-save-mayos-great-yellow-bumblebee-continues/

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WSU expected to purchase Othello facility for bee research soon Shawn Goggins

OTHELLO – Bees will soon be abuzz at the former Monsanto facility in Othello. Within the next 60 days, Washington State University’s Honey Bee and Pollinator Research and Education program will purchase the buildings formerly occupied by Monsanto’s corn breeding program. Located at 776 Booker Rd., the 50-acre lot has been for sale after Bayer bought Monsanto in 2018. Authorized by university’s board of regents, WSU will purchase the facilities for $2.5-million after the environmental inspection of the land.

“This facility will really help upgrade the work we do,” said Steve Sheppard, P. F. Thurber Endowed Professor of Pollinator Ecology in WSU’s Department of Entomology. “We’ve been in ‘temporary quarters’ since 2000. We’ve got great people and equipment but we’re . . .

To continue reading: http://www.ifiberone.com/columbia_basin/wsu-expected-to-purchase-othello-facility-for-bee-research-soon/article_e2edb75a-eae7-11e9-9bfc-43364050f4b8.html ❀

MSU economist’s research on colony collapse disorder published in national journal

Reagan Colyer

BOZEMAN – The work of a Montana State University professor examining the economic impacts of colony collapse disorder among commercial honeybees was published in the Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists last month.

Randy Rucker, a professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Economics in the MSU College of Agriculture, began looking into colony collapse disorder several years ago with colleagues from North Carolina State University and Oregon State University, for the purpose of estimating its economic impacts. The onset of . . .

To continue reading: https://www.montana.edu/news/19103

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Bee markets still in good shape despite pressures from parasites and colony collapse disorder

Alexandru Micu

A new study led by researchers from Montana State University examines the economic impact of colony collapse disorders (CCD) among commercial honeybees.

This research traces back to several years ago when Randy Rucker, a professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Economics in the MSU College of Agriculture, started looking into the phenomenon of colony collapse to estimate its economic impact, along with members from North Carolina State University and Oregon State University. All in all, they report, CCD isn’t a very big threat to current commercial pollinator markets. . . .

To continue reading: https://www.zmescience.com/science/commercial-pollinators-health-92352341/

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New Busselton-based research looks at how native flies could replace bees as pollinators Emma Kirk

New research is underway in Busselton looking at how native flies could replace bees as pollinators in the agriculture industry.

Jasper Farms is one of ten test sites in Australia which will participate in a $5.7 million research effort involving some of Australia’s leading researchers.

To continue reading: https://www.busseltonmail.com.au/story/6422790/new-busselton-based-research-looks-at-how-native-flies-could-replace-bees-as-pollinators/?cs=801

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New insights into colony collapse disorder’s Varroa mite

Although even mainstream has shown that colony collapse disorder — the instance in which a hive’s worker bees disappear and leave behind the queen — is not the crisis that it was 15 years, there is ongoing awareness of it and the other things that impact our honey bee populations. After all . . .

To continue reading: https://www.agdaily.com/crops/insights-colony-collapse-disorder-varroa-mite/

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Pollinator Sanctuary: A new sustainable solution model from Canada

Saikat Kumar Basu Pollinator insects play a huge role in achieving cross pollination in a wide diversity of crops and plants that are important to both, human ecology and economy.

Three distinct global industries namely agriculture, forestry and apiculture are directly and indirectly dependent upon pollination services provided by biological agents or vectors such as different species of insects, molluscs (such as snails and slugs), birds (like humming bird species) and mammals (such as bats).

Insects such as bees, moths and butterflies, certain species of flies, beetles, wasps and ants play a significant important role in cross pollination in various important crops and plant species.

Among insects, bees play the most important role in providing pollination services to a wide diversity of plants on which we are dependent for maintaining the stability of both our ecosystem as well as our global economy.

However, it is quite unfortunate that honey bees, particularly, the native bees, are demonstrating an alarming decline around the globe due to a number of anthropogenic factors.

According to researchers from around the planet, some of the causal factors cumulatively . . .

To continue reading: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/blog/agriculture/pollinator-sanctuary-a-new-sustainable-solution-model-from-canada-66944

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Beekeepers Seek to Save Honeybees From a Colony-Invading Pest

Paige Embry

Last January, California’s beekeepers were worried they wouldn’t have enough bees to pollinate the almond bloom, their biggest money-making event of the year. Gene Brandi, a California beekeeper and the former president of the American Beekeeping Federation, said winter losses were “as bad or worse than I believe it’s been.”

It turns out he was right. It was another grim year for America’s beekeepers, already

To continue reading: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/beekeepers-seek-save-honeybees-colony-invading-pest-180973241/

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Bee Campus USA designation brings buzz to UCD, community

As a sign of its commitment to pollinator health, UC Davis recently became the first University of California campus to become certified as a Bee Campus USA affiliate, via the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

Scott Hoffman Black, executive director of the Xerces Society, explained the program . . .

To continue reading: https://www.davisenterprise.com/local-news/bee-campus-usa-designation-brings-buzz-to-ucd-community/

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UC Berkeley recognized as bee-friendly campus by Bee Campus USA

Olivia Buccieri

The California Public Interest Research Group, or CALPIRG, a statewide student-run nonprofit aimed at promoting civic engagement through activism, commemorated UC Berkeley becoming the 80th Bee Campus USA affiliate Thursday.

As of Sept. 3, UC Berkeley became one among five other California campuses certified with Bee Campus USA, and . . .

To continue reading: https://www.dailycal.org/2019/10/04/uc-berkeley-recognized-as-bee-friendly-campus-by-bee-campus-usa/

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City dwellers can meet the wild things near them, in exhibit coming to Natural History Museum of Utah

Sean P. Means

Utahns will get to learn more about the creatures that live wild among us, at a new exhibit opening at the Natural History Museum of Utah.

“Nature All Around Us” is one of the biggest in-house exhibits the museum has created, and the most hands-on and interactive. Museum staff have spent three years developing it, and the opening marks the museum’s 50th anniversary.

The exhibit opens Oct. 19 at the museum, at 301 Wakara Way on the University of Utah campus in Salt Lake City. It runs through May 25, 2020.

“Nature” will feature live plants and animals that call Utah’s cities and towns home. There also will be digital presentations, including 3-D mapped projections, a virtual bike ride, digital “periscopes” and challenging, fun games for all ages. Large-scale dioramas are included, with a crawl-through tunnel beneath a park. Patrons can don pollinator costumes and dance through a field of giant flowers.

The exhibit also features . . .

To continue reading:https://www.sltrib.com/artsliving/2019/10/06/city-dwellers-can-meet/

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Teenager from Eastside named “Cox Conserves Heroes” of Western Washington

Patranya Bhoolsuwan

KIRKLAND, Wash. – An Eastside teenager is using a combination of high-tech and good old-fashion gardening to take on the pollination crisis.

Adithi Raghavan, 17, has just been named the “Cox Conserves Hero of Western Washington”. Cox is the parent company of KIRO 7.

The 12th grader at International Community School in Kirkland is raising awareness about the decline in the bee population. She even created an app called “BEEducated” to help . . .

To continue reading: https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/teenager-from-eastside-named-cox-conserves-heroes-of-western-washington/993651387

❀ The Buzz On Florida’s Honey Bees

STEPHANIE COLOMBINI & ROBIN SUSSINGHAM & CHRISTY OSHANA

Florida is one of the nation’s largest producers of honey and is a hub for beekeeping, both commercially and as a hobby.

In a special reporting collaboration, WUSF News and the Zest Podcast are taking a closer look at honey bees over . . .

To continue reading: https://wusfnews.wusf.usf.edu/post/buzz-floridas-honey-bees

❀ Almond growers vote to continue marketing order

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that almond producers voted to continue their marketing order program for almonds grown in California. Ninety-five percent of eligible almond growers who voted in a referendum held Aug. 5–16, 2019, favored continuing the . .

To continue reading: https://www.morningagclips.com/almond-growers-vote-to-continue-marketing-order/

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Strategies for Inviting Pollinators Back Into Your Landscape

Douglas Dedrick

For years we have been hearing about the diminishing pollinator habitats across the United States. So I am left wondering… What strategies can we use to invite pollinators into our back into our modern landscapes?

As a landscaper, I often incorporate pollinator-friendly plants in my landscape designs. And today, I would like to talk about some of the strategies you can use, to help our plant loving friends re-establish their much needed habitats. These strategies can be used by nearly anyone, anywhere. Even in suburban places where space may be limited. Each of these strategies may be small, but . . .

To continue reading: https://www.motherearthnews.com/nature-and-environment/inviting-pollinators-back-into-your-landscape-zbcz1910

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Garden Guru: Basil amazing for culinary artists, pollinators

Norman Winter

Basil has stolen my heart as of late, but it is probably not for what you think. It’s not because the foliage, such as that of Purple Ruffles as Mississippi Medallion Award Winners, is as pretty as a coleus. Nor is for the culinary delicacy provided by Siam Queen, an All-America Selections Award Winner. It is for pollinators.

The fact I am promoting it for pollinators tells all herb lovers and culinary artists I am going polar opposite on recommendations and letting it go to . . .

To continue reading: https://www.savannahnow.com/entertainmentlife/20191004/garden-guru-basil-amazing-for-culinary-artists-pollinators ❀

SEEDS FOR BEES DEADLINE APPROACHING

Seeds for Bees is organized by Project Apis m. (PAm.), one of the nation’s leading honey bee research organizations. The program encourages the planting of bee forage as part of riparian areas or cover crops in and around California orchards, farms and vineyards to increase and provide variance in forage available to pollinators.

Why is . . .

To continue reading: http://newsroom.almonds.com/content/seeds-for-bees-deadline-approaching

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Project Apis m. and the National Honey Board Announce a Request for Research Proposals to Support and Enhance Honey Bee Health

We are pleased to announce a Request for Proposals on behalf of the National Honey Board.

Project Apis m. and the National Honey Board are requesting research proposals to support and enhance honey bee health. Proposals will be accepted between September 23rd, 2019 and October 23rd, 2019. Please Click Here to view the full RFP and guidelines, or visit ProjectApism.org/rfps.

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HOW TO BRING BACK THE BEES: LEGISLATOR LOOKS FOR PLACES TO ENCOURAGE POLLINATORS

Philip Sean Curran

A state lawmaker from Monmouth County has gotten behind a package of legislation aimed at creating more habitat for bees and other pollinators in New Jersey, where beekeepers point to various factors responsible for killing the bee population.

Assemblyman Eric Houghtaling (D-11), the chairman of the Assembly agriculture and natural resources committee, supports giving closed landfills a second life as pollinator habitats. A bill that he and others have sponsored would require the state Department of Environmental Protection to create a program encouraging “the owner or operator” of such landfills to turn them “into habitat that supports animal pollinators using native plants where possible,” the proposed legislation reads in part.

Another bill would require the state DEP to start a “leasing program” of state-owned lands for either . . .

To continue reading: https://tworivertimes.com/how-to-bring-back-the-bees-legislator-looks-for-places-to-encourage-pollinators/

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Congratulations to the 2019 Canadian PAm-Costco Scholar Fellowship Awardees!

Courtney MacInnis, University of Alberta

Tanushree Tiwari, York University

Kathleen Dogantzis, York University

To read: https://myemail.constantcontact.com/Introducing–The-2019-Canadian-PAm-Costco-Scholars-.html?soid=1130361512910&aid=jG59GceS46A

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FROM CATCH THE BUZZ:

Climate Change Study Finds That Maple Syrup Season May Come Earlier, and, Studying Bees at Penn State.

Once winter nights dip below freezing and the days warm up above freezing sap begins to flow in sugar maples marking the start of… Read on » 2. Azerbaijan Wants it Both Ways…No More Imports, and Expand Exports.

By: Jeyhun Alakbarov Beekeeping development may increase employment in the Azerbaijani agricultural sector, Azerbaijani Deputy Minister of Agriculture Seyfaddin Talibov said. Talibov made the… Read on » 3. Climate Change Cachets

Bee City USA founder Phyllis Stiles is calling for people to plant more trees to help bees and other pollinators handle climate change. “Almost… Read on » 4. Canada’s York University to Develop ‘BeeCSI’ Tool to Help Canada’s Rapidly Declining Honey Bees, and, BBKA on Guard for Asian Hornet

Associate Professor Amro Zayed – York University, Asian Hornet TORONTO, September 18, 2019 – When Canada’s honey bees are thriving, they produce honey and… Read on » 5. What’s All the Buzz Around Microbes? and, Fumigillin Returns to Combat Nosema. Both Good News!

In Rowan’s Social Insect Lab, researchers are examining whether gut bacteria play a role in fending off pathogens that threaten the honey bee population…. Read on » 6. The Citrus Greening Bug Has Been Found In Nevada. Quarantines Are Going Up!

Asian Citrus Psyllid and Huanglongbing, or citrus greening. A tiny insect no bigger than a grain of rice may go unnoticed on your citrus… Read on » 7. Climate Change Cachets

“You all come to us young people for hope. How dare you? You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words,… Read on » 8. Weak Honey Bee Colonies May Fail from Cold Exposure During Shipping, and, a Gene fix for Nosema? Maybe…

Kim Kaplan FARGO, NORTH DAKOTA—Cold temperatures inside honey bee colonies may cause colony losses during and after long-distance hauling, according to a preliminary… Read on » 9. Can Plants Tell Time, and, Robots May Be Pollinators Sooner Than You Think In North Dakota.

IMAGE: A crop field; and David Lyall, Paul Snyder and Kate Lyall Credit: Dr. Antony Dodd; University of Bristol Jenny Schlecht; Forum News Service Could… Read on » ❀ FROM ABJ EXTRA:

Bahama Beekeepers Seek Hurricane Relief Hurricane Dorian’s wrath has devastated the Bahamas including the lives of beekeepers, their apiaries and the bees. A few hives have survived in Grand Bahama. Those on Abaco are a total loss. Most hives were swept away in the devastation. What we do know . . . To continue reading: https://mailchi.mp/dadant.com/abj-extra-october-1-2019-bahama-beekeepers-seek-hurricane-relief?e=d476a0d684 ❀

FROM POLLINATOR-L:

Entomological Society of America pollinator video contest The Entomological Society of America is running its pollinator video contest again! More info at this website:
https://www.entsoc.org/pie/pollinator-video-contest There are prizes of $500 and $250. The submission deadline is Oct 25th, so not long from now! ❀

Postdoctoral Research Associate

Postdoctoral Research Associate under the supervision of Dr. Julia D. Fine at the USDA-ARS located in Davis, California. The research assignment is to study and assess factors that contribute to managed honey bee population losses and to develop and implement methods to assess the effects of biotic and abiotic stressors on honey bee reproduction. The focus will be on conducting laboratory experiments in conjunction with large scale field experiments to identify both the individual physiological effects and population level responses to stressors.

Assigned Responsibility The incumbent will conduct independent and collaborative research on the effects of pesticides, parasites, pathogens, and nutrition on honey bee health, behavior, and development to support the objectives of the long-term research project. The primary focus will be the elucidation of factors that enhance or hinder the longevity and performance of honey bee colonies, examining the effects of stressors both alone and in combination on various aspects of honey bee biology. The incumbent will work as a member of a research team that includes a supporting technician. With approval from the supervisor, the incumbent will work with other scientists within the Research Unit, in other Units at the WRRC, and with scientists outside of ARS, such as entomologists within the University of California and the California Department of Food and Agriculture.
Research Objectives and Methodology The objective of the research is to characterize threats to honey bee colony populations and identify methods to mitigate them, with particular focus on identifying the effects of stressors on honey bee queens and on interactions between queens and workers. Examples of known threats include exposure to agrochemicals, limited nutritional options, parasitic infestations, and exposure to new or worsening pathogen infections. The incumbent will use both novel and established tools to assay queen and worker performance, reproductive output, and brood development when exposed to various stressors both in the laboratory and in the field. The work will be published in support of cooperative research efforts conducted by USDA-ARS and regional, state, and Federal agencies that manage land and/or water resources.
Expected Results The research will help identify how stressors affect honey bee reproduction, development and behavior, and how these effects contribute to the long-term success or failure of colonies. It is expected that the research conducted by the incumbent will be used to inform colony management practices and enhance honey bee population survival, contributing to the reliability of pollination services and increased national food security.
Knowledge Required This position requires a thorough knowledge of entomology, insect biology, and physiology, and associated techniques for investigating physiological, behavioral, and genetic responses to stress. Supplemental knowledge of statistics and experimental design is required. Demonstrated ability in oral and written communication of research results is required. Interested parties are encouraged to contact Dr. Fine at julia.fine@usda.gov for more details. ❀

Postdoc position: Insect Functional Genomics and Bioinformatics, Hawaii

Aloha! The USDA-ARS Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center has funding for a postdoc in the area of insect functional genomics and bioinformatics. This research project is focused on 1) utilizing genomic and genetic tools to characterize existing genetic sexing system used in tephritid fruit fly sterile insect technique programs (e.g. Mexfly, medfly, oriental fruit fly); and 2) utilize gene editing technologies to support emerging SIT programs in Bactrocera fruit flies. The duties include analysis of NGS data, focusing on QTL analysis, generation of linkage maps, whole genome sequencing, and SNP genotyping as well as wet-lab techniques in CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing and other transformation methods, library preparation for high-throughput sequencing, genotyping, and insect colony and strain maintenance. We have advanced computing resources and a very active research program. Salary is ~$63k/year with benefits, hired through the ORISE program, and the job will be stationed at the USDA-ARS Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center in Hilo, Hawaii. Funding is guaranteed for 1 year, with possibility of extension based on performance. PhD is required. If interested, please contact Dr. Scott Geib at scott.geib@ars.usda.govand apply for the job online at: https://www.zintellect.com/Opportunity/Details/USDA-ARS-2019-0166

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Research Ecologist, Botanist, or Entomologist GS-0408-12/13; Pollinator resources and pollinator diversity

The USDA Agricultural Research Service is advertising for a Research Ecologist, Entomologist or Botanist to perform research and provide expertise in management and ecological approaches that better promote pollinator resources and pollinator diversity, especially in low agricultural-input plant communities of the Northern Great Plains. The position is at the USDA ARS Pest Management Research Unit, Northern Plains Agricultural Research Laboratory, Sidney MT. We expect the selected candidate to lead a research program that allows us to better understand regional pollinator ecology systems and have strong publication, collaborative and stakeholder-interaction skills. The mission of the laboratory is to develop and implement ecologically based strategies, technologies, and products for the sustainable management of insects, pests, and weeds in crops and rangeland. Our location houses a team of highly collaborative and enthusiastic scientists and support staff working in the fields of ecology, botany, entomology, plant restoration, population genetics and agronomy. The position is advertised at the GS-12 or 13 level ($74K or $88K starting salary), includes full government benefits, has promotion potential to GS-15, and is open to all U.S. Citizens and Nationals. Please apply on USAJobs (www.usajobs.gov; Job Announcement Number: 546967100). Ad closes on Oct. 25, 2019. Questions? Please contact Dr. John Gaskin (john.gaskin@usda.gov).

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Pollination Biologist Position The Oklahoma Natural Heritage Inventory, a program of Oklahoma Biological Survey at the University of Oklahoma, invites applications for a Pollination Biologist to fill a tenure-track faculty position as an Assistant Professor beginning fall 2020. We seek outstanding applicants making significant contributions to the ecology and conservation of native insect pollinators. We are particularly interested in innovative scholars whose research integrates empirical data from field and/or laboratory experiments, molecular techniques, and/ or mathematical interaction network models to address relevant and timely questions pertaining to plantpollinator interactions, such as impacts of land use, climate change and invasive species ultimately shaping pollinator populations. Responsibilities will include developing an externally funded research program in pollination biology, training graduate and undergraduate students, and teaching. The position also entails participating in the ONHI biodiversity program including interacting with NGOs and state and federal conservation agencies, and public outreach.

The University of Oklahoma (OU) is a Carnegie-RU/VH comprehensive public research university known for excellence in teaching, research, and community engagement. The University offers strong collaborative, interdisciplinary opportunities through a world-class weather and climate center, the Sam Noble Museum of Natural History, and the departments of Biology, Geography and Environmental Sustainability, and Microbiology and Plant Biology. OU enrolls over 30,000 students and has more than 2,700 full-time faculty members in 21 colleges. Norman is a culturally rich and vibrant town located just outside Oklahoma City. With outstanding schools, amenities, and a low cost of living, Norman is a perennial contender on the “Best Places to Live” rankings. Please visit soonerway.ou.edu for more information.

Qualifications A Ph.D. is required; postdoctoral experience is preferred. The successful applicant must demonstrate research productivity, the potential to attract external funding, and teaching skills. Previous work on conservation issues important to the Southern Great Plains and spatial analysis skills would be welcome.

Application Instructions Applications should be submitted to https://apply.interfolio.com/68575 and include a cover letter addressing the strengths you would bring to this position, curriculum vitae, up to five sample reprints, and full contact information for four references. Review of applications will begin on October 15, 2019 and will continue until the position is filled. Questions about the position may be directed to the Chair of the search committee, Caryn Vaughn (cvaughn@ou.edu).

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PhD positions are available at The University of Alabama as part of a recently awarded NSF Rules of Life project: “Bumble bee cold tolerance across elevations – From epigenotype to phenotype across space, time, and levels of biological organization”. PhD students will be involved in studying the links between genomic, epigenomic, transcriptomic, and metabolomic variation in relation to local thermal tolerance adaptation in montane bumble bees (lozierlab.ua.edu). The project will involve extensive high throughput sequencing of bees from wild populations and experimental colonies and the use of approaches like network theory to model and draw inferences from these complex data. Students will develop questions relating to ecological, evolutionary, or conservation genomics within the broader project objectives. The focus of the positions is flexible, and we expect there will be a great deal of collaboration and overlap among students, postdocs, and PIs on the project.

I am looking to recruit highly motivated students with interests in applying modern molecular and computational tools to address ecological and evolutionary questions in a non-model organism. Applicants should have a strong academic record (GPA > 3.0), an ability for clear verbal and written communication, and a desire to learn new skills! Students funded off the grant will participate in both laboratory molecular work (primarily generation of RNAseq and genome/epigenome sequencing libraries) and computational analyses, and applicants should thus have some degree of experience or interest in both aspects of the project.

The project will involve collaborations with Janna Fierst at UA (Fierst Lab: jfierst.people.ua.edu, Michael Dillon and Franco Basile at the University of Wyoming, and James Strange at Ohio State. As part of these collaborations there may be opportunities for field work or experimental work with bumble bees, depending on student interests and expertise. Contact Jeff Lozier (jlozier@ua.edu) for more information. Anticipated start date will be Fall 2020, but we’re flexible.

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New IPPM job opening in New Hampshire

Join a great team at The Xerces Society!

JOB TITLE: Integrated Pest and Pollinator Management (IPPM) and Pollinator Partner Biologist

LOCATION: USDA-NRCS New Hampshire State Office, 273 Locust St, Suite 2D, Dover, NH 03820

COMPENSATION: $42,000 – $47,000 (starting) per year, commensurate with experience.

JOB START DATE: December 2019

APPLICATION DEADLINE: 10/20/2019

Review job description and apply here: https://recruiting.paylocity.com/recruiting/jobs/List/4579/Xerces-Society-Inc

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Junior Researcher (Postdoc) position: Population genetics/phylogenomics, Hawaii

Aloha! The University of Hawaii Manoa and USDA-ARS Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center have funding for a Junior Researcher (postdoc) in the area of population genetics/phylogenomics/bioinformatics. This research project is focused on 1) applying genomic tools towards resolving phylogenetics and population structure of tephritid fruit flies, a group of pestiferous flies including many species groups that exhibit cryptic diversity and hybridization; and 2) developing novel genomic tools or methods that can be applied in diagnostic or biosurveillance programs for invasive tephritid species. The duties include analysis of NGS data, focusing on QTL analysis, generation of linkage maps, whole genome sequencing, and SNP genotyping. Strong background in population genomics and phylogenetics is required. Knowledge of linux/unix, scripting, and light programming is required. Our approaches include RAD-Seq, GBS (genotyping by sequencing), multi-gene sequencing, and whole-genome sequencing. We have advanced computing resources and a very active research program. Salary is ~$63k/year with benefits, hired through University of Hawaii Manoa, and the job will be stationed at the USDA-ARS Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center in Hilo, Hawaii. Funding is guaranteed for 1 year, with possibility of extension based on performance. PhD or Masters with extensive experience is required. If interested, please contact Dr. Scott Geib at scott.geib@ars.usda.gov and apply for the job online at: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/hawaiiedu/jobs/2582937/jr-researcher-85382t

More information about the lab: https://youtu.be/dU2kFhI6bYI