- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
It was named the best Web site for the quarter and is now in the running for best of the year. Nominations remain anonymous.
It initially won one of four awards presented in the environmental category for the fourth quarter.
Wrote the reviewer: “Ahh, the sweet taste of honey! Without the humble bee, we would not be able to enjoy it. While only the honey be produces the honey, other pollinators ensure that we have a viable ecology by pollinating flowers, fruit trees and other plants that are necessary for the existence of other wildlife. The story of this small, necessary, and sometimes misunderstood creature is fascinating. Its purpose, its life, its habitat and its possible demise, everything you could want to know is presented on this website.”
“The learning opportunities abound. The site presents itself in a visually pleasing manner with excellent photography and interesting articles. It is a joy to visit. This site is definitely deserving of the Talking Hands Award.”
The Talking Hands Award, launched in 1986, pays tribute to Web sites that follow Section 508, which encourages sites that are more accessible to people with disabilities.
Based on a UC Davis template, the Laidlaw site was launched Aug. 13 and is the work of Webmaster Kathy Keatley Garvey, communications specialist for the Department of Entomology. Assisting with the design were Neal Williams, assistant professor of entomology, and Michael Parrella, professor and chair of the Department of Entomology and Lynn Kimsey, professor and vice chair of the department and director of the Bohart Museum of Entomology.
“It's a work in progress,” said Garvey. Native pollinator specialist Robbin Thorp, emeritus professor of entomology who maintains an office in the Laidlaw facility, is identifying the native bees and other pollinators. Plans call for posting hundreds of photos on the Web site.
The site currently includes links to Extension Apiculturist Eric Mussen's newsletter, from the UC Apiaries and his Bee Briefs; research information; a news section; events; information about honey bees and native bees; pollination; instruction; a kids' zone; links; publications; outreach; frequently asked questions; a photo gallery of honey bees and native bees; and information about the Häagen-Dazs Honey Bee Haven, a half-acre bee friendly garden planted next to the Harry H. Laidlaw Jr. Honey Bee Research Facility on Bee Biology Road.
- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
DAVIS—A newly launched University of California Web site promises to be a one-stop site for information about honey bees and native bees, UC Davis officials said today.
The bee biology site, the Harry H. Laidlaw Jr. Honey Bee Research Facility Web site, is online at http://beebiology.ucdavis.edu. The facility is located on Bee Biology Road, UC Davis.
“Our new Web site will allow us to provide information to the public about bees, answer questions, and highlight our studies and discoveries about bees and their importance in the environment,” said Lynn Kimsey, professor and vice chair of the UC Davis Department of Entomology who is coordinating activities at the Laidlaw facility. She also directs the Bohart Museum of Entomology on campus.
The Web site includes sections on research, outreach, publications, news, events, faculty and researchers, honey bees, native bees, pollination, instruction and the Häagen-Dazs Honey Bee Haven. It also includes a photo gallery, kids' zone and links to bee sources throughout the world. A special FAQ section is devoted to commonly asked questions.
The honey bee expert team includes Extension Apiculturist Eric Mussen, bee breeder-geneticist Susan Cobey, manager of the Harry H. Laidlaw Jr. Honey Bee Research Facility; bee breeder-geneticist M. Kim Fondrk; and Häagen-Dazs postdoctoral scholar Michelle Flenniken, an insect virus researcher
The native bee team includes pollination ecologist Neal Williams, assistant professor of entomology, and native pollinator specialist Robbin Thorp, emeritus professor of entomology.
“The Web site will be content rich,” said communication specialist Kathy Keatley Garvey, editor, photographer and Web developer. “We'll be expanding the content to offer the most informative, up-to-date information about honey bees and other bees.”
The site includes videos on honey bees and bumble bees. Of special interest is the Häagen-Dazs Honey Bee Haven, a half-acre bee friendly garden east of the Laidlaw Facility on Bee Biology Road. To open to the public Oct. 16, it will provide a year-around food source for bees and other pollinators, and an educational experience for visitors who can glean information on how to plant a bee friendly garden.
Bee biologist Harry H. Laidlaw Jr. (1907-2003) was known as “the father of honey genetics.” He grew up in the southeastern United States and worked as a beekeeper with his grandfather, Charles Quinn. They experimented with mating queen bees and controlled breeding and developed what became known as the Quinn-Laidlaw hand-mating method.
Laidlaw completed his master's degree in entomology in 1934 from Louisiana State University and received his doctorate in genetics and entomology form the University of Wisconsin in 1939.
Laidlaw retired as a professor of entomology in 1974 but continued his research and outreach efforts. He published his last scientific paper at age 87 and his last book at 90. In 2001, the UC Davis Bee Biology Laboratory was renamed the Harry H. Laidlaw Jr. Honey Bee Research Facility.