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History at the Lab
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The Baton Rouge Bee Laboratory
--- The first 25 years ---

 

U.S. Bee Culture Laboratory Established in the South
American Bee Journal, 1928
"A new bee culture field station known as the Southern States Bee Culture Field Laboratory, has been established by the United States Department of Agriculture at Baton Rouge, LA.  Special funds for this purpose were appropriated by Congress …

Plans for the future work of the laboratory are now being made, and one of the first matters to be considered is the advisability of having United States Standards for package bees and queens.  Scientific breeding probably will constitute one of the major problems to be taken up by the laboratory.  Studies pertaining to honey production in the southern states will likewise be given careful attention."

Audubon Hall apiary - 1929

Audubon Hall Apiary - 1929

RESEARCH: 1920's - 1930's
  • Study honey plants and honey production
  • Problems in producing and shipping package bees and queens
  • Artificial insemination
  • Queen rearing methods
  • Breeding studies
  • Chemical and physiological studies of the developing bee
RESEARCH: 1940's - 1950's
  • Management methods to increase yield per colony for package bees
  • Rearing and testing queens for the package industry
  • Management methods to increase honey production
  • Rearing and mating program from honey production tests
  • Stock studies in disease resistant lines

 

 

 

Laboratory Researchers - 1936
Laboratory researchers - 1936
E. Oertel, S. E. McGregor, W. Whitcomb, O. Mackensen, W. C. Roberts