Over the years LASI Director Prof. Francis Ratnieks has had the pleasure of submitting many articles to popular UK beekeeping journals such as Bee Culture, BeeCraft and BBKA News, incorporating The British Bee Journal. The submission of these articles on topics of research conducted at LASI as part of our on-going 'Sussex Plan for Honey Bee Health and Wellbeing' allows the dissemination of LASI research to some of our main stakeholders, namely beekeepers and those interested in helping bees. The articles and the pamphlets contribute towards our commitment to public outreach and extention.

The pamphlets can be downloaded for free here

 

Below is a selection of popular articles:

 

Ratnieks, F. L. W., Balfour, N. J. 2023. Ivy, dandelions and other common wildflowers are often seen as weeds – but they’re a crucial resource for pollinating insects. The Conversation

Ratnieks, F. L. W., Harris, C. 2023. Seasonal wastage of nectar and pollen. Bee Craft (August) 6-7, 9.  

Carreck, N. L., Alton, K., Ratnieks, F.L.W. 2023. Availability of bee forage in summer domestic garden lawns. British Bee Journal (published in conjunction with BBKA News) 9: 1-2. 

Ratnieks, F.L.W., Beckett, O., Nelson, B., FitzPatrick, Ú. 2022. Distribution and status of the ivy bee (Colletes hederae) in counties Wexford and Wicklow, Ireland, Autumn 2022. Irish Naturalists’ Journal 39: 67-75. 

Alton K. & Ratnieks F.L.W. 2022. Can Beekeeping Improve Mental Wellbeing during Times of Crisis?, Bee World, 99:2, 40-43,

Ratnieks, F. L. W., Flockhart, H. A. 2020. Helping bees: wild flowers in a Sussex lawn. Bee Craft June 2020 32-35.

Alton K. & Ratnieks F.L.W. 2020. Caveat Emptor: Do Products Sold to Help Bees and Pollinating Insects Actually Work?, Bee World, 97:2, 57-60 

Ratnieks, F. L. W. 2019. All about bees (Apis mellifera: background story of the amazing bee that makes us honey). F magazine (special edition on honey). [F magazine is a Korean food magazine that devotes each edition to a particular foor related product, such as honey), pages 44-45.  

Alton, K., Ratnieks, F. L. W. 2017. Are rooftop beehives just a brand buzz exercise for companies? The Conversation (published on line 28 February 2017) 

Ratnieks, F. L. W. 2017. Bee audacious. Bee Farmer (April 2017) 18-22. 

Ratnieks, F. L. W. 2017. Bee audacious: is now the time to focus on natural resistance to honey bee diseases? Bee Craft 99(4): 2-3. 

Ratnieks, F. L. W. 2016. Butterfly research at the University of Sussex. Butterfly Conservation (Sussex Branch) Autumn Newsletter 2016, Issue 107: 24-30.   

Ratnieks, F. L. W., Al Toufailia, H. 2016. Comparing the effectiveness of different control methods against varroa. Bee Farmer October 2016:13-15.  

Alton, K., Ratnieks, F. L. W. 2016. Hygienic behaviour: what do beekeepers know? Bee Craft 98 (June): 7, 9. 

Ratnieks, F. L. W. 2016. LASI Queen Bees: a research spin-off. BBKA News June 2016: 205 

Ratnieks, F. L. W., Al Toufailia, H. 2016. Integrated control of honey bee diseases. The British Bee Journal 3: 9-10. 

Ratnieks, F. L. W., Al Toufailia, H. 2016. Hygienic Queens. Bee Farmer (June 2016) 20-21. 

Ratnieks, F. L. W., Al Toufailia, H. 2016. LASI Queen Bees. Bee Craft 98 (July) 26-27.  

Ratnieks, F. L. W., Scandian, L., Al Toufailia, H. 2016. Using oxalic acid to kill varroa. Bee Farmer (February 2016) 11-15.  

Ratnieks, F. L. W., Scandian, L., Al Toufailia, H. 2016. Using oxalic acid to kill varroa. LBKA (London Beekeepers Association) News, March 2016, pages 22-26 

Ratnieks, F. L. W., Scandian, L., Al Toufailia, H. 2016. Sublimation: the best way to kill Varroa with oxalic acid. Bee Culture (March 2016) 35-40.  

Ratnieks, F. L. W., Al Toufailia, H. 2016. How to apply oxalic acid via sublimation to control varroa.  LBKA (London Beekeepers Association) News, March 2016, page 27 

Al Toufailia, H., Ratnieks, F. L. W. 2016. How effective is Apistan® at killing varroa? Results from a LASI trial. Bee Craft 98 (2) 7-11.  

Ratnieks, F. L. W., Bigio, G. 2015. Hygienic behaviour in honey bees. The British Bee Journal 2: 12 

Ratnieks, F. L. W., Balfour, N. J. 2015. Helping honey bees in agricultural land. British Beekeepers Journal 2: 7.  

Ratnieks, F. L. W. 2014. LASI student’s success: honey bee hygienic behaviour. Bee Craft 96: 39.  

Ratnieks, F. L. W. 2014. Varroa: towards integrated control. British Beekeepers Journal 1: 15. 

Ratnieks, F. L. W. 2014. Waggle dance decoding: investigating honey bee foraging. British Beekeepers Journal 1: 16. 

Ratnieks, F. L. W. 2014. Helping bees in urban gardens and parks. British Beekeepers Journal 1: 17. 

Ratnieks, F. L. W. 2014. Hygienic behaviour: Natural disease resistance in the honey bee. British Beekeepers Journal 1: 18. 

Ratnieks, F. L. W. 2014. The Sussex Plan. Bee Craft 96: 20-23 

Ratnieks, F. L. W., Garbuzov, M., Balfour, N. J. 2014. Honey bees return in summer 2014. Bee Craft 96: 27-31.   

Carreck, N., Ratnieks, F. L. W. 2013. Will neonicotinoid moratorium save the bees? Research Fortnight 

Couvillon, M.J., Ratnieks, F. L. W. 2011. What’s the buzz? Decoding waggle dances to determine where bees forage. The Beekeepers Quarterly 103: 29-31. 

Helanterä, H., Ratnieks, F. L. W. 2010. Worker policing. Chapter in Breed, M. D., Moore, J. (eds). The encyclopaedia of animal behaviour. Elsevier.  

Ratnieks, F. L. W. 2010. Researchers are sweet on the honey bee. 1100 word/1 page article in the Argus (local paper for Brighton area), page 8, 31 May 2010.  

Ratnieks, F. L. W. 2009. If I was king for a day. The Big Issue April 13-19 page 46. 

Ratnieks, F. L. W. 2009. Meet the researchers. BBKA News 180:12.  

Ratnieks, F. L. W. 2009. Heard the buzz? Falmer (The University of Sussex Magazine) 48: 8-11.  

Ratnieks, F. L. W. 2007. Special report: latest buzz about honeybees. Pages 42-55 in: Science Year 2008. World Book Inc., Chicago, Illinois. 

Ratnieks, F. L. W. 2007. How far do honeybees forage? The Beekeepers Quarterly 89: 26-28.  

Ratnieks, F., Robinson E., Holcombe, M., Jackson, D., Hart, A. 2006. Go to the ant….and be wise (pamphlet for Summer Science Exhibit 2006, Royal Society of London) 

Ratnieks, F. L. W. 2005. The honey bee (Apis mellifera). Feedback (The ASAB Education Newesletter). 32 (May): 6-7). 

Ratnieks, F. L. W. 2004. Queen mating success: what can we expect? BBKA News (accepted) 

Ratnieks, F. L. W. 2004. Queen rearing in the Hope Valley: queens now for sale. Bee Improvement and Conservation 17: 12. 

Ratnieks, F. L. W. 2003. The BABE Project: Mating Isolation in the Derbyshire Peak District. BBKA News 142 (August): 5 

Ratnieks, F. L. W., Jensen, A. 2003. Evaluation of queen mating isolation in the Peak District, Sheffield, by means of DNA microsatellites. Bee Improvement and Conservation 15: 10-12.  

Ratnieks, F. L. W. 2003. Conflict in het bijenvolk. Maandblad van de Vlaamse Imkerbond. Juli-Augustus 2003, p. 186-188. Translation and Adaptation in Dutch of "F. Ratnieks (2002) Conflict in the Bee Hive: Worker Reproduction and Worker Policing" by A. Schotanus and T. Wenseleers. 

Ratnieks, F. L. W. 2003. A farming bee. The Beekeepers Quarterly. 

Ratnieks, F. L. W. 2003. The BABE Project: Beekeeping and Apis Biodiversity in Europe. BBKA News 139 (Feb. 2003) p. 4 

Ratnieks, F. L. W. 2002. Laboratory of Apiculture and Social Insects: The story so far. The Beekeepers Quarterly 71: 37-39. 

Ratnieks, F. L. W., Palmer, K. 2002. BABE research in Hope Valley and Edale, Derbyshire, Summer 2002. Bee Improvement 12: 22-23. 

Ratnieks, F. L. W. 2002. Conflict in the bee hive: worker reproduction and worker policing. The Beekeepers Quarterly 70: 16-17. 

Ratnieks, F. L. W. 2002. Big businesses: Honey bee colonies and oil companies. The Beekeepers Quarterly 69: 22-24.   

Ratnieks, F. L. W. 2001. Are you being served? Supermarkets and bee hives. The Beekeepers Quarterly 67: 26-27. 

Ratnieks, F. L. W. 2001. The last word: Bee lines 1. New Scientist 2301 (28 July 2001): 137. 

Ratnieks, F. L. W. 2001. The last word: Bee lines 2. New Scientist 2303 (11 August 2001): 93. 

Ratnieks, F. L. W. 2001. Prisons in the bee hive. The Beekeepers Quarterly 66: 15-16. 

Ratnieks, F. L. W. 2001. Laboratory of Apiculture and social insects. The Beekeepers Quarterly 65: 9-10. 

Ratnieks, F. L. W., Hart, A. G. 2001. Melipona beecheii beekeeping in the Yucatan. Bee Improvement 

Ratnieks, F. L. W., Hart, A. G. 2001. Meliponinae bees: the other highly social bees. Bee Improvement 

Ratnieks, F. L. W. 2001. Sociality and eusociality in insects. Bee Improvement 8: 20-21 

Ratnieks, F. L. W. 2000. BABE: Beekeeping and Apis biodiversity in Europe. Bee Improvement 7: 13 

Ratnieks, F. L. W. 2000. Why do researchers study the honey bee? Bee Improvement 7: 4-5 

Ratnieks, F. L. W. 2000. How far do bees forage. Bee Improvement 6: 10-11 

Ratnieks, F. L. W., Pedersen, B. V. 1999. Genetic differentiation of European honey bee subspecies. Bee Improvement 5: 6-7 

Ratnieks, F. L. W. 1999. Leaf-cutter and dinosaur ants. Pamphlet produced as part of Royal Society & British Association Millenium Award "Bringing bee biology and behaviour to beekeepers and the public". 

Ratnieks, F. L. W. 1999. Tasmanian black bees. Bee Improvement 4: 5-6. 

Ratnieks, F. L. W. 1998. Why breeding bees is different. Bee Improvement 2: 6-7. 

Ratnieks, F. L. W. 1996. Varroa: What to do. Beekeepers News 

Ratnieks, F. L. W. 1996. Langstroth, WBC, or National hive—the bees don't mind but you might! Beekeepers News 

Ratnieks, F. L. W. 1996. Do you have nasty (defensive) bees? Then do something. Beekeepers News.  

Ratnieks, F. L. W. 1996. Beekeeping is not cruel to bees. Beekeepers News 

Ratnieks, F. L. W., Visscher, P. K, Vetter, R. 1996. Treating American foulbrood using gamma radiation: a case history. American Bee Journal 135: 557-561.

Ratnieks, F. L. W. 1994. Cox Honeyland: an innovative honey business from Utah. Gleanings in Bee Culture. 

Ratnieks, F. L. W. 1992. Conflict and cooperation in the bee hive. Proceedings of the Western Apicultural Society 25-29. 

Ferracane, M., Ratnieks, F. L. W. 1989. Africanized bees and good neighbors. Keeping bees in urban areas. Am. Bee J. 129: 117-121. 

Ratnieks, F. L. W. 1989. Sterilization of American foulbrood contaminated hive equipment using gamma irradiation. American Bee Journal 129: 191-193.

Ratnieks, F. L. W. 1989. Keep it simple. A simplified Langstroth hive.Gleanings in Bee Culture 117: 41-43. 

Ratnieks, F. L. W., Nowogrodzki, R. 1988. Small Scale Queen Rearing. Cornell University Cooperative Extension. Information Bulletin 209. 

Ratnieks, F. L. W. 1988. Disease update: The spread of American foulbrood within a honey bee colony. Gleanings in Bee Culture 116: 

Ratnieks, F. L. W., Nolan, T.A. 1988.  New York Beekeepers and their knowledge and need for information on brood diseases. Am. Bee J. 128: 761-764. 

Ratnieks, F. L. W.1987. Bee space. Gleanings in Bee Culture 115: 573-5, 7. 

Ratnieks, F. L. W.1987. Fall feeding. Gleanings in Bee Culture 115: 588-590. 

Ratnieks, F. L. W., Nowogrodzki, R. 1987. The hobby beekeeper and American foulbrood: How to wisely use antibiotics as a preventive. Information bulletin of the New York State Apiary Inspection Program. 

Ratnieks, F. L. W. 1985. What is a mite? Gleanings in Bee Culture 113: 483-484.