**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** HONEY BEES ARE ECONOMICALLY IMPORTANT POLLINATORS, PROVIDING $200 BILLION WORTH OF GLOBAL POLLINATION SERVICES ANNUALLY. HOWEVER, HONEY BEES FACE A MYRIAD OF STRESSORS THAT ARE NEGATIVELY IMPACTING THEIR HEALTH. THESE STRESSORS CAN LEAD TO DETRIMENTAL HONEY BEE BEHAVIORS SUCH AS PREMATURE SELF-REMOVAL. THIS IS A BEHAVIOR WHERE YOUNG HONEY BEES LEAVE THE COLONY BEFORE THEY CAN FLY AND DIE ON THE GROUND OUTSIDE THE COLONY. THIS BEHAVIOR IS DAMAGING TO THE COLONY AS A WHOLE, BEHAVIORAL DEFICIENCIES IN HONEY BEES HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO COMPROMISE THE STRUCTURE OF THE COLONY AND LEAD TO A NEGATIVE FEEDBACK LOOP THAT CAUSES COLONY COLLAPSE. OUR PROJECT SEEKS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND HONEY BEE PREMATURE SELF-REMOVAL. WE WILL DO COLONY HEALTH STUDIES ON COLONIES THAT ARE ALLOWED TO SELF-REMOVE AS THEY NORMALLY WOULD, AND COLONIES THAT WILL GET REPLACEMENT BEES FOR SELF-REMOVING BEES (TO OFFSET THE EFFECTS OF SELF-REMOVAL). THIS WILL HELP US UNDERSTAND THE EFFECTS OF THE BEHAVIOR ON COLONY DYNAMICS, AND IF IT CAN LEAD DIRECTLY TO COLONY COLLAPSE. WE WILL ALSO MAKE A MATHEMATICAL MODEL OF HONEY BEE COLONY DYNAMICS INCLUDING SELF-REMOVAL BEHAVIOR. WE WILL USE OUR DATA, AS WELL AS PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED MODELS, TO MAKE A REALISTIC COLONY MODEL THAT SIMULATES A HONEY BEE POPULATION. OUR ULTIMATE GOAL WITH THE MODEL IS TO QUANTIFY THE STRESS AT WHICH COLONIES CAN SPIRAL INTO COLLAPSE. THIS WILL HELP BEEKEEPERS UNDERSTAND WHAT STRESS LEVELS (PARASITES, PATHOGENS, AND PESTICIDES) WILL LEAD THEIR COLONIES TO COLLAPSE. THIS SETS THE FOUNDATION FOR A MATHEMATICALLY BACKED, SPECIFIC, AND INFORMATIVE COLONY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.