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Colorado State University launches first honeybee veterinary science course

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  Published in Science and Technology on Friday, October 3rd 2025 at 15:02 GMT by Channel 3000
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Colorado State University Breaks New Ground with First‑Ever Honeybee Veterinary Science Course

In a bold move to address the nation’s growing concerns about pollinator health, Colorado State University (CSU) announced the launch of the first course in honeybee veterinary science. The initiative, unveiled last week on the university’s news portal, signals a major expansion of the College of Veterinary Medicine’s curriculum and positions CSU at the forefront of a rapidly evolving field that blends apiculture, veterinary science, and entomology.

The Course in Context

Honeybees are indispensable to agriculture, delivering an estimated $15 billion in pollination services to the U.S. every year. Yet the industry is besieged by an array of diseases, pests, and environmental stressors that threaten colony survival. According to the USDA’s 2023 Pollinator Health Survey, more than 70 % of U.S. beekeepers reported experiencing significant losses in the past decade, primarily due to Varroa destructor, the parasitic mite that has become the most lethal threat to honeybee colonies worldwide.

The new course – titled “Honeybee Veterinary Science” – is designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to diagnose, treat, and prevent diseases in honeybee populations. By offering a formalized academic pathway for bee health professionals, CSU hopes to fill a critical skill gap and provide a sustainable workforce to support both commercial apiaries and research institutions.

Course Structure and Content

The 15‑week semester‑long course is a blend of online modules, in‑person laboratory sessions, and hands‑on fieldwork at partner apiaries across Colorado. Students enroll in a single 3‑credit hour block, which may be taken as part of the veterinary science major or as a continuing‑education credit for licensed veterinarians and beekeepers.

Key topics include:

The curriculum draws heavily on recent CSU research projects, including the Honeybee Varroa Research Center (link to CSU’s research page) and the Pollinator Conservation Initiative (link to CSU’s sustainability page). Students are encouraged to collaborate on active research grants, allowing them to publish in peer‑reviewed journals under faculty mentorship.

Faculty Leadership

The course is co‑led by Dr. Sarah M. Lopez, a veterinarian with over a decade of experience in veterinary pathology, and Dr. James R. McClen, a professor of entomology who has published more than 50 papers on bee health. “Honeybees sit at the nexus of agriculture, ecology, and public health,” says Dr. Lopez. “By integrating veterinary science with apicultural expertise, we’re creating a new class of professionals who can bridge the gap between farmers, researchers, and regulatory agencies.”

Dr. McClen notes that the course was conceived through a partnership with the Colorado Beekeepers Association and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), which provided seed funding for course materials and field equipment. “We’re not just teaching theory,” he says. “We’re training practitioners who can make a tangible difference in the health of bee populations.”

Industry and Community Impact

The introduction of a formal honeybee veterinary science program is expected to ripple across the region’s agricultural landscape. Local apiaries are already eager to tap into the new talent pipeline. “We’ve struggled to find veterinarians who understand bee biology,” says Maria Gonzalez, owner of Mountain Ridge Apiaries. “This course will help us provide better care and, ultimately, more honey.”

Beyond commercial beekeeping, the course also serves academic and conservation needs. The university’s Colorado Pollinator Center (link to CSU pollinator center) will partner with students to monitor pollinator health in urban and rural settings, feeding data into state‑wide monitoring systems. The course curriculum also includes modules on integrated pest management (IPM) strategies that can be adopted by crop growers to reduce pesticide exposure to pollinators.

A New Career Path

One of the most compelling aspects of the program is the creation of a new career niche. While there have long been “bee doctors” or “bee technicians,” formal recognition of honeybee veterinary science as a distinct profession is rare. CSU’s course is the first step toward establishing credentials and professional standards that will be recognized by accrediting bodies such as the American Association of Beekeepers and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).

Students who complete the course earn a certificate that, when combined with existing veterinary credentials, can lead to roles such as:

• Apicultural Veterinarian – diagnosing and treating bee diseases
• Research Associate – leading studies on bee pathology and mitigation
• Consultant – advising farms and apiaries on best practices
• Policy Analyst – shaping regulations around bee health and pesticide use

The Road Ahead

CSU’s launch of the honeybee veterinary science course comes at a time when the intersection of agriculture and biodiversity is under intense scrutiny. By integrating rigorous scientific training with real‑world problem‑solving, the university is not only responding to a market need but also contributing to the resilience of an ecosystem service that is vital to food security.

As the course prepares to enroll its first cohort of students, the broader scientific community is watching with anticipation. If successful, CSU’s model could inspire similar programs across the country, paving the way for a national network of honeybee health specialists who can help safeguard one of the planet’s most crucial pollinators.

For more information on course enrollment, curriculum details, and partnership opportunities, visit the Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine’s website or contact the program’s coordinator at honeybee.vet@csu.edu.