| Nicholas Calderone
Professional Overview and ObjectivesMy professional goals include efforts in research, extension and teaching. My research program has basic, directed and applied components. My basic research efforts focus on the evolution of the highly complex honey bee society. Currently, I am focusing on the evolution of life-history traits that distinguish temperate from tropical races. I also plan to incorporate molecular techniques that will allow me to better characterize the contributions of genes and environment to honey bee behavior. My directed research focuses on basic issues that can have a significant impact on the beekeeping industry. Currently, I am interested in colony-level regulation of drone production. Results of this research can be used by queen breeders to better control mating. The focus of my applied research will continue to be the development of IPM programs for the control of pests, parasites, pathogens and predators that threaten the supply of honey bee colonies that provide essential pollination services. My extension efforts are shifting to the development of web-based deliverables, including a biannual newsletter, a selection of pertinent ‘Fact Sheets’, slide presentations, and information of general interest to beekeepers and the general public. I plan to accelerate the process of porting my extension presentations, including my Master Beekeeper Workshops, to the web. A portion of this material will be freely accessible, while the remainder will be made available on a subscription basis, reflecting the growing need for an economic partnership between industry and extension. The online Master Beekeeper Apprentice Level workshops will also become part of my course materials for ENTOM 200 and 264. My teaching objectives include transforming ENTOM 260 - The Biology of the Honey Bee – into a course with broader scope and appeal. ENTOM 260 will offer students a window into the life of one of the most fascinating animals on the planet. The honey bee is a model organism for introducing students to an array of key topics in basic biology, including animal communication, the evolution of sociality, learning and memory, the evolution of life-histories, nature and nurture and much more. In addition, humans and honey bees have a long-standing relationship involving the pollination of agricultural crops, the production of honey, beeswax and other hive products, as well as a prominent role in art, mythology, religion and culture. Lessons from the hive will be used to explore the similarities between human and honey bee societies in their struggle for survival.
Education
Areas of ExpertiseApis mellifera, honey bee, sociobiology, behavior, genetics parasitic mites, apriculture Extension and OutreachI serve NYS beekeepers, fruit and vegetable growers, federal, state, local and university staff and the general public. I conduct Master Beekeeper Workshops at Dyce Lab and visit local beekeeping groups to make presentations. Master Beekeeper Workshops are in-depth orientations to basic beekeeping and IPM for honey bee pests. Regional conferences provide opportunities for beekeepers to meet for a day-long conference where they meet with several speakers making presentations on various aspects of beekeeping. Articles in national trade journals provide beekeepers with timely information on pest management and other issues important to the industry. I work with or have worked with Ag and Markets (Apiary Industry Advisory Committee, Africanized Honey Bee Response Plan) and DEC (Bears and Bees), and plan to work with CU EHS as a speaker at their annual pesticide recertification workshop. I answer dozens of questions from members of the general public contacting me by phone or email. Impact is documented through the use of pre- and post-tests completed by participants at all extension events.My extension efforts are expanding to include more web-based deliverables, including a biannual newsletter, a selection of pertinent ‘Fact Sheets’, slide presentations, and information of general interest to beekeepers and the general public. I plan to accelerate the process of porting my extension presentations, including my Master Beekeeper Workshops, to the web. A portion of this material will be freely accessible, while the remainder will be made available on a subscription basis, reflecting the growing need for an economic partnership between industry and extension. The online Master Beekeeper Apprentice Level workshops will also become part of my course materials for ENTOM 2600/2640. Research Publications1. Strange, J.P., Calderone N.W. (in press) Evaluation of apicultural characteristics of first year colonies initiated from packaged honey bees, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae. J. Econ. Entomol. 2. Strange, J.P. Cicciarelli, R.P., Calderone N.W. (2008). What's in that package? An evaluation of quality of package honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) shipments in the United States . J. Econ. Entomol. 101: 668-673. 3. Gardner, K.E., Seeley, T.D., Calderone, N.W. (2008). Do honeybees have two discrete dances to advertise food sources? Anim. Behav. 75: 1291-1300. 4. Gardner, K.E., Seeley, T.D., Calderone, N.W. (2007). Hypotheses on the adaptiveness or non-adaptiveness of the directional imprecision in the honey bee's waggle dance (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Apis mellifera). Entomologia Generalis, 29(2/4): 285-298. 5. Drijfhout F.P., Kochansky J., Lin S., and Calderone N.W. (2005). Components of honeybee royal jelly as deterrents of the parasitic Varroa mite, Varroa destructor. J. Chem. Ecol. 31:1747-64. 6. Calderone, N.W. (2005). Evaluation of Drone Brood Removal for the Management of Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae) in Colonies of the Honey Bee Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in the Northeastern USA. J. Econ. Entomol. 98: 645-650. 7. Calderone N.W. and Kuenen, L.P.S. (2003). Differential tending behavior by nurse bees towards worker and drone larvae of the honey bee, Apis mellifera, during the 60 hours prior to capping. Apidologie 34: 543-552. 8. Calderone N.W. and Kuenen, L.P.S. (2003). Differential tending behavior by nurse bees towards worker and drone larvae of the honey bee, Apis mellifera, during the 60 hours prior to capping. Apidologie 34: 543-552. 9. Calderone N. W. and Lin S. (2003). Rapid determination of the numbers of Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae), a parasitic mite of the honey bee, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae), on sticky-board collection devices. Apidologie 34: 11-17. 10. Rotjan, R., Calderone, N. W. and Seeley, T. D. (2002). How a honey bee colony mustered additional labor for the task of pollen foraging. Apidologie 33: 367-373. 11. Calderone N. W. and Johnson, B. R. (2002). Within-nest behaviour of pollen foraging honey bees in colonies with a high or low need for pollen. Anim. Behav. 63: 749-758 12. Vaughan D. M. and Calderone N. W. (2002). Direct assessment of colony need by honey bee foragers. Ins. Soc. 49: 23-27. 13. Calderone N. W., Lin, S., and Kuenen, L. P. S. (2002). Differential infestation of honey bee, Apis mellifera L., worker and queen brood by the parasitic mite Varroa destructor. Apidologie 33: 389-398. 14. Calderone N. W. and Lin S. (2001). Behavioural responses of Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae) to extracts of larvae, cocoons and brood food of worker and drone honey bees, Apis mellifera (Hymentoptera: Apidae). Physiol. Entomol. 26: 241-350. 15. Calderone N. W. and Kuenen, L.P.S. (2001). Effect of Western Honey Bee, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae), Colony, Cell Type and Larval Sex on Host Acquisition by Female Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae). J. Econ. Entomol. 94: 1022-1030. 16. Kuenen, L. P. S. and Calderone, N. W. (2000). Varroa mite infestations in elevated honey bee brood cells: effects of context and caste. J. Ins. Beh. 13: 201-215. 17. Calderone N. W. (2000). Effective fall treatment of Varroa jacobsoni (Acari: Varroidae) in colonies of the honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) with formic acid in a northern climate. J. Econ. Entomol. 93: 1065-1075. 18. Calderone N. W. (1999). Evaluating sub-sampling methods for estimating numbers of Varroa jacobsoni mites (Acari: Varroidae) collected on sticky-boards. J. Econ. Entomol. 92: 1057-1061. 21. Calderone N. W. (1999) Evaluation of formic acid and a thymol-based blend of natural products for the fall control of Varroa jacobsoni (Acari: Varroidae) in colonies of Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae). J. Econ. Entomol. 92: 253-260. Extension PublicationsThe Value of Honey Bees and Pollination n New York. 2007. Bee Files Calderone, N.W. (2005) Integrated Pest Management for Varroa destructor in the northeastern United States using drone brood removal and formic acid. USDA SARE Agricultural Innovations. (16 pp, refereed extension article). |
