Experiences

Buzzing for Bee Medicine! - Submitted by Heather Sayles, Michigan State University

During the honey bee medicine rotation at MSU run by Dr. Meghan Milbrath, I realized that sometimes the smallest patients have the most to teach us. Millions of honey bees spread between dozens of hives call MSU’s Pollinator Performance Center home. It was here that I gained such an appreciation for the importance of bees in the ecosystem and the intricate dynamics of a hive. We delved deep into the intersection of animal health, agriculture, and environmental stewardship. We even got a chance to watch Maple (pictured), a retired police K9 who found a second career in hive inspections, in action! She has been trained to sniff out a deadly disease in honey bee colonies called American foulbrood as part of ongoing research at the facility.

We spent several days off-campus in our local community, working with apiarists managing both small and large operations to assess colony health, diagnose and treat common diseases, perform mite washes, and develop management plans to support hive productivity and survival. We rounded off our 3 weeks with a series of lectures about the business aspect of honey bee medicine, a visit to a beekeeping supply company, and a hands-on bee anatomy lab.

The rotation emphasized the role of bees as vital indicators of ecosystem health, while also highlighting the complexities of balancing disease control, biosecurity, and sustainable beekeeping practices. This experience strengthened my diagnostic skills, broadened my perspective on non-traditional veterinary medicine, and reinforced the importance of pollinators in both food systems and public health. 

Everyone talks about saving the bees, but as veterinarians, we’re able to use our expertise to actually take action to promote healthy hives. Trained veterinarians are necessary to provide critical access to antimicrobials that can save colonies from treatable conditions. 

I had an un-bee-lievable time learning about this niche area of medicine, and I’ll be taking what I’ve learned throughout this experience to establish my own honey bee medicine practice in the future to meet the needs of the industry.

Creative Corner

Submitted by Bailey Willis, St. George's University

TVG Kitchen

Submitted by Rhea Amatya, Colorado State University

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Simple Mashed Potato Recipe

Ingredients

2 pounds of potatoes

1/2 stick of butter

1 cup of boiled potato water

spices and salt to taste

Serving size 5

Instructions

1. Select your favorite 2 pounds of potatoes This is usually 4 potatoes if using Russet variety.

2. Spend a long time peeling your potatoes.

a. I highly recommend getting a hand-peeler otherwise good luck and be careful.

3. Cut your potatoes in chunks.

a. I normally cut each potato into 4 or 8 sections - cut in half, then another half (4 sections),

then one more half if it is still too thick (8 sections).

4. Put the chunks of potatoes in a large pot and fill it with water with the potatoes 1 inch under the

top of the water line. Add some salt to the water.

5. Boil the pot for at least 15 minutes. Keep checking to see how soft the potatoes have gotten. It

might take a lot longer than you think if you double the recipe.

6. Drain out the water but keep 1 cup of it to the side to add to your mashed potatoes.

7. Once the potatoes are as soft as you want them, either get a masher mash the potatoes to your

preference of smoothness. I normally use a hand immersion blender to get it really mashed and

smooth.

8. Slowly add your butter and saved water to the pot.

9. Don’t forget to taste your creation to see what spices might be missing and add more salt if

needed.

10. Plate your creation and enjoy yummy mashed potatoes!

Cutest Pet

Submitted by Dana Kusch, Oklahoma State University

Foot In Mouth Disease

Submitted by Heather Sayles, Michigan State University