Introduction

Howdy all, this is Lucas here, and I'm going to New Zealand for the summer of 2024. I got into contact with someone working at Plant and Food Research in Hamilton, New Zealand who was doing research in killing parasitic mites off of the back of honey bees using lasers. That's right, lasers. This opportunity sounded so cool that I had to find a way to get myself out there to work on this project. With the help of the Summer Undergraduate International Research Program, I was able to get myself a ticket and room/board out to New Zealand to work on this project. Expect weekly updates starting around mid-May with updates to the whole process!

Here's a picture of what the parasitic mites look like. They're known as Varroa mites; they both feed on the tissue on the back of the honeybees as well as act as a viral vector which transmits several dangerous pathogens which can compromise the health of a honeybee colony.