University of Northampton buzzing to help with University of Galway’s bee ecology research.
By Ananda Patrasco
The University of Galway’s research team for major bee ecology project received great help from their UK academic colleagues at the University of Northampton.
The team that is led by Professor Grace McCormack, who after investigating wild honeybee populations in woodland areas, was given access to the urgently needed cold storage equipment and expertise by the University of Northampton’s Science department.
The team had travelled to Northampton to study the rare insects as part of an important research project focusing on the honeybee’s survival and adaptation in unique British habitats and its applications to sustainable beekeeping.
Bees from the trees go into deep freeze
The University of Galway team went to Boughton Estate Forests in Northampton to compare DNA of the wild bees to the generally managed bees that are kept in hives. After collecting various samples of bees, they need to be frozen as quickly as possible in order to prevent the deterioration of their DNA and be safely transported back to Galway to be tested. This is where Northampton helped.
Chiara Binetti, Research Assistant with University of Galway Honey Bee Research Centre, said: “There’s much to be learned from wild-living colonies of honeybees. Survival under natural selection and adaptation of free-living bees in old UK forests is currently being investigated, thanks to collaboration between beekeepers and scientists – this might be the key to unlocking their secrets and potential, and possibly inform more sustainable bee keeping.”
Overall, the team are aiming to sample 90 colonies at three sites in Britain, including Boughton, Blenheim and one other location.
Beekeepers at the research study locations have been supporting wild honeybees in their natural environment, including through the creation of nest sites for wild colonies using log hives.
University of Galway introduced a log hive on campus this year.”
