We welcome Dr. Alvaro De la Mora as a speaker for our SES Seminar series to talk about "Resistance mechanisms and microbiome changes of honey bees selected for Low Varroa population Growth against Varroa destructor."

Alvaro De la Mora has a Ph.D from the Honey Bee Research Centre here at the School of Environmental Sciences. He currently is a postdoctoral fellow at the Honey Bee Health Research lab, at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM), University of Saskatchewan, Canada.

Abstract

The parasitic mite Varroa destructor is the main stressor associated with colony losses of honey bees. Bees can be bred for Varroa-resistance, which was done in this project through three generations of selection for low (resistant) and high (susceptible) Varroa population growth (LVG and HVG, respectively). Colony health was improved based on overwinter colony mortality, higher immune responses, and changes in the bee microbiome.

Bio

Alvaro has a Ph.D. degree from the Honey Bee Research Centre (HBRC), School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph. He has nearly 17 years of international experience in honey bee management and research. He has experience in apiculture, outreach, lab techniques, diagnosis of honey bee diseases, and production of hive products. He has taught courses in apiculture and trained producers and students. He has participated in different research projects; thus, he is author or coauthor of 17 scientific publications. His graduate project involves selecting honey bee populations for lower rates ofVarroa population growth (LVG), and it was in collaboration with the HBRC, the Ontario Beekeepers’ Association, and the Ontario Bee Breeders’ Association. Currently, Alvaro is a postdoctoral fellow at the Honey Bee Health Research lab, at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM), University of Saskatchewan, Canada.