Minnesota has participated in a national survey of honey bee health since 2011. The survey is organized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) in cooperation with the Bee Informed Partnership. More information about the national survey along with yearly results can be found at the Bee Informed Website.
The MDA works with beekeepers to sample honey bee colonies and submit samples to USDA APHIS for analysis. The samples are analyzed for a broad suite of invasive pests and pathogens as well as other issues that can affect the health of honey bee colonies. Samples taken during previous projects have been analyzed for the following pests and pathogens:
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Israeli acute paralysis virus
- Kashmir bee virus
- Deformed wing virus
- Acute bee paralysis virus
- Chronic bee paralysis virus
- Lake Sinai virus-2
- Nosema spp.
- Varroa destructor virus
- Varroa mite
- Apis cerana
- Tropilaelaps spp. mites
