THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO SCREEN INFECTEDHONEY BEES WITH 50+ NATURALLY OCCURRING CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS TO IDENTIFY SAFE AND EFFECTIVE MEDICINES FOR DEFORMED WING VIRUS, NOSEMA CERANAE, NOSEMA APIS AND LOTMARIA PASSIM. THESE FOUR PATHOGENS ARE SEVERAL OF THE MANY FACTORS CAUSING DOMESTIC AND GLOBAL HONEY BEE DECLINE AND OVERWINTER COLONY LOSS. DESPITE THE IMPORTANCE OF THESE FOUR AGENTS, BEEKEEPERS HAVE NO REGISTERED AND SCIENTIFICALLY VERIFIED MEDICINES TO COMBAT INFECTION. NOVEL BEE MEDICINES THAT CONTROL VIRUS AND PARASITE LEVELS AT THE COLONY LEVEL WILL INCREASE HIVE EFFICIENCY, REDUCE TOTAL HIVE MANAGEMENT COSTS, CHECK THE RAPID ESCALATION OF POLLINATION FEES PAID BY ALMOND GROWERS AND OTHER CROP PRODUCERS, AND CONTRIBUTE TO DOMESTIC CROP SECURITY. SCREENING OF THESE COMPOUNDS WILL ADVANCE BASIC HONEY BEE SCIENCE BY PROVIDING FACTUAL INSIGHT INTO CLASSES OF COMPOUNDS THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE PALATABLE IN SUGAR WATER, THAT MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE ACUTE TOXICITY, AND THAT MAY OR MAY NOT IMPAIR THE HONEY BEE GUT MICROBIOME.BY FOCUSING ON NATURAL PRODUCTS, WE HOPE TO REDUCE THE USE OF SYNTHETIC ANTIBIOTICS AND PESTICIDES IN BEE HIVES AND REDUCE THE REGULATORY BURDEN FOR LICENSING NEW PRODUCTS. THIS WILL DECREASE COSTS AND INCREASE DIVERSITY OF FOOD, ESPECIALLY THE MANY SPECIALTY CROPS THAT REQUIRE INSECT POLLINATION. OUR ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO HELP HOBBYIST, SIDELINER, AND COMMERCIAL BEEKEEPERS KEEP THEIR BEES HEALTHY AND DISEASE FREE.