HONEYBEES ARE THE PRIMARY SOURCE FOR POLLINATION SERVICE TO PRODUCE FRUITS, VEGETABLES, AND CROPS IN THE U.S. HOWEVER, THEY FACE SEVERE COLONY LOSSES SINCE 2007. IMPROVING HONEY BEE RESISTANCE TO VARROA MITES IS CRITICAL TO MAINTAINING SUSTAINABLE APICULTURE. HOWEVER, THERE ARE FEW RESEARCH EFFORTS TO INVESTIGATE THE RESILIENCE OF BEHAVIOR AGAINST VARROA MITES. OUR PRELIMINARY RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT THE MITE BITING BEHAVIOR IN OHIO FERAL BEES AND PURDUE UNIVERSITY BREEDING STOCKS ARE HIGHER THAN COMMERCIAL STOCKS. WE HAVE IDENTIFIED A GROUP OF CANDIDATE COLONIES FOR BREEDING IN OHIO. OUR PROJECT AIMS TO 1) INVESTIGATE THE DIFFERENCE OF EVOLUTIONARY MORPHOLOGY AND MECHANISM OF MANDIBLES IN MIDWEST MITE BITING BEE POPULATIONS (APIS MELLIFERA) AND EASTERN HONEYBEES (APIS CERANA); 2) IDENTIFY TRANSCRIPTOMIC PROFILES AND GENETIC MARKERS FOR MITE BITING BEHAVIOR, AND 3) APPLY KNOWLEDGE OF IN-SITU TECHNIQUES AND A PHONE APPLICATION TO INCREASE THE ACCURACY OF SCREENING MBB BEES, AND IMPROVE HONEYBEE HEALTH BY GENETICS AND BREEDING MITE-RESISTANT BEE POPULATIONS. THIS STUDY WILL BE THE FIRST INNOVATIVE ATTEMPT TO IMPROVE THE RESILIENCE TRAIT OF EUROPEAN HONEY BEES (APIS MELLIFERA) AGAINST VARROA MITES IN OHIO AND SECOND IN THE MIDWEST. WE EXPECT OUR NEW BEE PROGRAM TO PROVIDE A LONG-TERM SOLUTION TO MITIGATE THE 60% HONEYBEE LOSSES IN OHIO AND OTHER MIDWEST REGIONS. CENTRAL STATE UNIVERSITY (CSU), OHIO'S ONLY PUBLIC HBCU AND THE NEWEST 1890 LAND-GRANT INSTITUTION IN COLLABORATING WITH PURDUE UNIVERSITY SUBMITS THIS PROPOSAL WHICH WILL ENHANCE CSU'S RESEARCH CAPACITY IN POLLINATOR HEALTH AND SUSTAINABLE APICULTURE, AND ALSO TRAIN MINORITY STUDENTS TO JOIN THE FUTURE USA'S SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE WORKFORCE.