Melittology

A honeybee drinking water

Melittology (from Greek μέλιττα, melitta, "bee"; and -λογία -logia) is a branch of entomology concerning the scientific study of bees. Melittology covers the species found in the clade Anthophila within the superfamily Apoidea, comprising more than 20,000 species, including bumblebees and honey bees.

Subdivisions

• Apiology – (from Latin [apis] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help), "bee"; and Ancient Greek -λογία, -logia) is the scientific study of honey bees. Honey bees are often chosen as a study group to answer questions on the evolution of social systems.

• Apidology is a variant spelling of apiology used outside of the Western Hemisphere, primarily in Europe; it is sometimes used interchangeably with melittology.

• Apicology – the study of honey bee ecology.

Melittological societies

Melittologists and apiologists are served by a number of scientific societies, both national and international in scope. Their main role is to encourage the study of bees and apicultural research

• International Bee Research Association
• National Bee Association of New Zealand
• British Beekeepers Association
• German Beekeepers Association

Melittological journals

• Apidologie
• American Bee Journal
• Journal of Apicultural Research
• Journal of Melittology

List of notable melittologists and apiologists

• Freiderich August Bechly (Fred Bechly), (1835–1916), was a correspondent for the American Bee Journal.
• Charles Butler, (1560–1647), early English beekeeper and researcher.
• Charles Dadant, (1817–1902), Modernized beekeeping.
• Jan Dzierzon, (1811–1906), Discovered parthenogenesis among bees, proposed first sex determining mechanism for any species.
• Savannah Foley, studies genetics and communication over long distances at the University of South Florida, leading a team investigating recent dropping numbers of honey bees.
• Michael S. Engel, (b. 1971), studies honey bee and other bee taxonomy and paleontology at the University of Kansas.
• Karl von Frisch, (1886–1982), Nobel Prize winner, studied honey bee communication.
• Robert A. Holekamp, (1848–1922), Early urban apiculturalist and advocate.
• Jay Hosler, Professor at Juniata College, Author of the award-winning comic Clan Apis.
• François Huber (1750–1831), Swiss naturalists, introduced the "Ruche en livre" (Book hive), a beehive system in the shape of a book, first published in "Nouvelles observations sur les abeilles, adressées à Charles Bonnet", 1792 (New observations on the natural history of bees).
• Karl Kehrle (a.k.a. "Brother Adam") (1898–1996), Benedictine monk, beekeeper, and an authority on bee breeding, developer of the Buckfast bee.
• Warwick Estevam Kerr, (b. 1922), Studies genetics and sex determination in honey bees. Responsible for introduction of Africanized bees to America.
• William Kirby, (1759–1850), Author of the first scientific treatise on English bees.
• L. L. Langstroth, (1810–1895), Modernized American beekeeping.
• Martin Lindauer, (1918–2008), studied communication systems in various species of social bees including stingless bees and honey bees.
• Sir John Lubbock (the 1st Lord and Baron Avebury) (1834–1913), wrote on hymenoptera sense organs.
• Robert E. Page, Jr., Studies population genetics and the evolution of complex social behavior at Arizona State University.
• Petro Prokopovych, (1775–1850), Ukrainian beekeeper, founder of commercial beekeeping.
• Moses Quinby, (1810–1875), Early American commercial beekeeper. Invented modern bee smoker.
• Gene E. Robinson, Studies mechanisms of bee-havior at the University of Illinois.
• Amos Ives Root (1839–1923), Innovator in honey harvesting techniques. Published first account of Wright brothers flight in his beekeeping journal.
• Grace Sandhouse
• Justin O. Schmidt, Studies bee nutrition, chemical communication, physiology, ecology and behavior. Created Schmidt Sting Pain Index.
• Thomas D. Seeley, Studies group organization using the honey bee as a model system at Cornell University.
• Robert Evans Snodgrass, (1875–1962), Author of one of the first comprehensive books on honey bee anatomy and physiology.
• Marla Spivak, Studies honey bees and bees native to North America. She is most famous for her work breeding honey bees for hygienic behavior.
• Stephen Taber III, (1924–2008), Innovator in the practice of artificial insemination of queen bees for the purpose of developing disease resistant and gentle bee colonies.
• Mark Winston, Studies life history, caste structure, and reproduction in social insects and pheromones of honey bees at Simon Fraser University.

See also

• Bee
• Honey bee
• Beekeeping
• Entomology
• I Have a Bee
• Vespology
• Melissopalynology