Zachary Huang

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Associate Professor, Apiculture
Department of Entomology

Degrees:
PhD - University of Guelph (1988)
BS - Hunan Agricultural University (1982)

Bio

Dr. Zachary Huang’s main responsibilities include research and extension. He is known for developing the social inhibition model (at UIUC) which explains how nurse to forager transition is regulated, the mitezapper which is a non-chemical control method for the infamous Varroa destructor, his cyberbee.net (started in 1997 but developed mainly at MSU) for extension and award winning photographs. He was awarded the J.I. Hambleton Award for Outstanding Research by the Eastern Apicultural Society of North American Inc. August 2008.

Concentrations

Honey bee behavior
Honey bee physiology
Honey bee pests and diseases

Research

Huang studies how various stresses affect honey bees, including parasites, pathogens, insecticides, temperature, and transportation. His research over the past 20 years has focused on the reproductive biology of Varroa destructor and the fungal pathogen Nosema ceranae. His lab has examined why varroa mites prefer younger worker bees under realistic colony conditions, extending prior studies that relied on Petri dishes and cages. With Nosema ceranae, his team has shown that infection methods can influence worker mortality and that mixed infections with N. ceranae and N. apis are more deadly, both in cage studies and colony settings. Current research investigates whether immune priming with inactivated Nosema spores can protect honey bees.

Learn more about the MSU Apiculture Lab.

Extension

Huang’s extension program provides beekeepers with the latest research on factors affecting honey bee health. This includes research from his lab on varroa mite biology, the effects of Nosema and transportation on honey bees, and the impact of transgenic pollen, as well as studies by other scientists on topics such as nutrition and varroa reproduction. This information helps beekeepers make informed decisions and manage their colonies more effectively.