Selecting for Behavioral Resistance to Varroa Destructor in Honey Bees with Krispn Given

SPEAKER BIO:

Krispn Given is the Senior Apiculture Specialist in the Department of Entomology at Purdue University. His journey with beekeeping began at the age of nine, working alongside his father. Today, he is recognized as a leading international authority in the fields of instrumental insemination and honey bee breeding. He has been breeding bees for 29 years, conducting research with 100-300 colonies to improve honey bee health through selective breeding paradigms. He oversees the honey bee breeding program at Purdue University and manages the honey bee laboratory’s extension and student research activities.

He teaches two advanced courses each year, one in queen rearing and the other in instrumental insemination, attracting students worldwide. His current research focuses on identifying, selecting, and enhancing honey bee stock with increased levels of behavioral resistance to the varroa mite. He was instrumental in the pioneering work developing the “Indiana Mite-biter” honey bee strain, demonstrating that bees that groom themselves free of mites also bite more mites when groomed off the adult bees. This trait benefits beekeepers by reducing winter mortality through improved mite resistance.

He has been involved in several research projects at Purdue over the past twenty years and is an author and co-author of numerous publications, books, and scientific and trade journal articles. His work has led to the design of innovative instrumental insemination devices made in America. He has received numerous awards and honors for his contributions, including the prestigious Rodger A. Morse Outstanding Teaching Extension Regulatory Award in 2023. He is a past president of the Heartland Honey Bee Breeders Cooperative. https://extension.entm.purdue.edu/beehive/