Applied & Industrial Mathematics

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Modelling the Effects of Stressors and Treatment in a Honeybee Colony
(2024-03-16) Luik, Thomas Stephen; Heffernan, Jane M.
Honeybees are agriculturally important through their pollination work and production of honey. They are also vulnerable to the accumulation of stressors, which cause drastic colony losses. It is important to understand the effect of stress on a hive so that the cost of testing, treatment, and rest can be evaluated. We have developed a model of honeybee stress and simulated scenarios of testing and treatment regiments. The model tracks importation of stressors through foraging, and quantifies their effect on bee stress. The model is used to determine appropriate times for testing and treatment before, during, and after pollination jobs, and it is used to determine resting periods needed between pollination jobs, depending on testing and treatment use, to minimize the probability of bee loss and maximize profit for a beekeeper. Ultimately, the model will be used to inform testing and treatment strategies that will increase economic profitability for the beekeeping industry, and the agricultural sector as a whole.