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 Carl Hayden Bee Research Center: Tucson, AZ
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ARS Home Pacific West Area Tucson, Arizona Carl Hayden Bee Research Center People





- Full Staff Listing
- Anderson Lab
- Carroll Lab
- Corby-Harris Lab
- DeGrandi-Hoffman Lab
- Meikle Lab
- Gloria DeGrandi-Hoffman
- Mona Chambers
- Henry Graham
- Emily Watkins de Jong
- Research Areas Overview
- Varroa Overview

Mona  Chambers    Biological Science Technician (Insects) Mona Chambers /ARSUserFiles/33816/pic.png Biological Lab Technician (Insects)Eastern Apiculture Society certified Master BeekeeperPhone: 520-647-9293 Mona Chambers is a Tucson native whose passion for honeybees has guided her career fromthe start. As a technician for over 19 years with the Carl Hayden Bee Research Center, she isactive in disease, nutrition, and overwintering research and collaborates regularly withcommercial beekeepers, scholars, and scientists. She is the founder of See the Bees, whosemission is to raise awareness and provide education for children and adults on honeybees andtheir importance. With a drive to help underserved communities through beekeeping, she hasvolunteered at the Washington State Penitentiary and Pima County Juvenile Detention. Sheregularly presents at schools, museums, and other organizations. In 2018 Mona became thefirst Master Beekeeper in Arizona certified by the Eastern Apiculture Society. Besides workingwith bees, she trains in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and plays the cello. **Beekeeping Speaking / Engagements** Regular volunteer for University of Arizona’s Master Gardener youth program at thePima County Juvenile Court (2018-present)
Beekeeping for Eckholm Family Farm, Whidbey Island, WA (2016-current)
Interview and presentation for independent radio station KXCI (91.3FM) InternationalClash Day: Clash for Climate (2020)
Created and performed the “Singing Bee Circus” for the Museum of Contemporary Art,Tucson (2017)
Taught course for incarcerated people at the Washington State Penitentiary on colonymanagement and disease (2016)
Interviewed for The History Channel and The Discovery Channel features on honey bees(2010)
Presented a lecture and demonstration on the Honey Bee Morphometrics system for theAmerican Honey Producers (2005) and the Apiary Inspectors of America
Guest lecturer for the 12th annual *Science and Mathematics through Native Eyes*conference (2004)
Created and taught the curriculum for a summer high school course *Beekeeping Basics*for the Pasqua Yaqui and Tohono O’odham Nations (2003)
Represented USDA-ARS PWA for the Navajo Nation Career Seminars in New Mexico(2002)
Guest lecturer for INTS 250 Intro to International Studies course at the University ofArizona. Topic: *Beekeeping for Sustainable Development*(2001)
Provided beekeeping presentations and workshops for the following groups: TheUniversity of Arizona, Washington State Penitentiary, Pima County Juvenile Court, TheAmerican Honey Producers, Tohono Chul Botanical Gardens, Carl Hayden BeeResearch Center, The Jewish Community Center, Saguaro National Park Rangers,Tucson Children’s Museum, Tucson Cyclovia, Museum of Contemporary Art Tucson, St.Michaels young gardeners, Southern Arizona Workspace
Provided beekeeping presentations to the following schools: The Armstrong Academy,Kino School, Khalsa Montessori Day School,The Academy of Tucson, CentennialElementary School, Southwest Learning Center, St. Marks, Tanque Verde Elementary,and home schooled students **Honors, Awards, and Special Accomplishments:** USDA-PWA Diversity in Action Outreach Award (2019)
Eastern Apiculture Society: Master Beekeeper Certification (2018)
Founded See The Bees, providing honeybee education and outreach to children andadults (2016)
Administrator - Tucson Beekeepers, facebook group (2013)
University of California, Davis - Instrumental Insemination and Bee Breeding Workshopwith Sue Cobey (2007)
Recipient of the USDA-ARS PWA Equal Employment Opportunity / Civil Rights Category II Employee Award (2004)
USDA-ARS Certificate of Appreciation and individual cash awards (multiple years,1997-current)
Cum Laude, University of Arizona, 2001
General Dillingham Produce Scholarship, University of Arizona, 2000-2001
USDA Certificate of Merit for the digital transfer of Agriculture Handbook #496McGreggor’s Insect Pollination of Cultivated Crops (1997)
Regents Scholarship, University of Arizona, 1997-1999
Cum Laude, Tucson High Magnet School, 1997
United States Presidential Scholar, 1997
National Foundation for the Advancement in the Arts (NFAA) Level One Photography,1997 **Other:** Studies martial arts - Currently holds a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and a black beltin Hiraido Mixed Martial Arts
Teaches Women’s Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fundamentals at the Kodenkan Martial ArtsAcademy
Accomplished musician - has toured the U.S, Canada, and Europe and recordedProfessionally **Acknowledged for research participation in the following publications:** Johnson, Zaman, Decelle, Siegel, Tarpy, and Starks, 2005. Multiple Micro-Organisms inChalkbrood Mummies: Evidence and Implications. J of Apicultural Research 44(1): 29-32.Lobo, Ton, Hill, Emore, Romero-Severson, Hunt, and Collins, 2003. Genomic Analysis in thesting-2 Quantitative Trait Locus for Defensive Behavior in the Honey Bee, *Apis mellifera.*Genome Research 13:2588-2593.Schneider SS, LJ Leamy, LA Lewis and G DeGrandi-Hoffman, 2003. The influence ofhybridization between African and European honeybees, *Apis mellifera*, on asymmetries in wingsize and shape. Evolution 57: 2350-2364.Schneider SS and G DeGrandi-Hoffman, 2003.The influence of paternity on virgin queensuccess in hybrid colonies of European and African honey bees, *Apis mellifera*. AnimalBehaviour 65: 883-892.DeGrandi-Hoffman G, D Tarpy and SS Schneider,2003. Patriline composition of workerpopulations in honey bee ( *Apis mellifera*L) colonies headed by queens inseminated with semenfrom African and European drones. Apidologie 34:111-120.Schneider, SS and G DeGrandi-Hoffman, 2002.The influence of worker behavior andpaternity on the development and emergence of honeybee queens. Insectes Sociaux 49:306-314.DeGrandi-Hoffman, G. & J.C. Watkins, 2000. The influence that honeybees and wild Beesforaging together have on sunflower cross-pollination and seed set. Am. Bee J. 137:565-566.DeGrandi-Hoffman, G. & Hagler, J., 2000. The flow of incoming nectar in a honeybee ( *Apis**mellifera*L.) colony as revealed by a protein marker. Insectes Soc. 47:302-306. **EDUCATION:** Pima Community CollegeTucson, AZ 85709, UDASupplemental courses 2004, 1997University of ArizonaTucson, AZ 85719Bachelor of Arts, 2001Major: Interdisciplinary Studies - International RelationsHonors: Cum LaudeInstituto FalcónGuanajuato, Gto 36000, MexicoSpanish language course, 1999   Publications(Clicking on the reprint iconReprint Icon  will take you to the publication reprint.)The survival and growth of honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) colonies overwintered in cold storage: the effects of time and colony location-(Peer Reviewed Journal) Hoffman, G.D., Corby-Harris, V.L., Graham, R., Watkins De Jong, E.E., Chambers, M.L., Snyder, L.A. 2023. The survival and growth of honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) colonies overwintered in cold storage: the effects of time and colony location. Journal of Economic Entomology. 116(4):1078-1090. https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/toad103.The importance of time and place: Nutrient composition and utilization of seasonal pollens by European honey bees (Apis mellifera  L.-(Peer Reviewed Journal) Hoffman, G.D., Corby-Harris, V.L., Carroll, M.J., Toth, A., Gage, S., Watkins De Jong, E.E., Graham, R.H., Chambers, M.L., Meador, C., Obernesser, B. 2021. The importance of time and place: Nutrient composition and utilization of seasonal pollens by European honey bees (Apis mellifera L.). Insects. 12(3). Article 235. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects12030235.Can supplementary pollen feeding reduce varroa mite and virus levels and improve honey bee colony survival?-(Peer Reviewed Journal) Hoffman, Gloria D., Corby-Harris, Vanessa L., Chen, Yanping, Graham, Henry, Chambers, Mona L., Watkins De Jong, Emily E., Ziolkowski, Nicholas F., Kang, Yun, Gage, Stepanhie L., Deeter, Megan E., Simone-Finstrom, Michael, De Guzman, Lilia, I. 2020. Can supplementary pollen feeding reduce varroa mite and virus levels and improve honey bee colony survival?. Experimental and Applied Acarology. 82:455-473. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10493-020-00562-7.Connecting the nutrient composition of seasonal pollens with changing nutritional needs of honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies-(Peer Reviewed Journal) Hoffman, G.D., Gage, S.L., Corby-Harris, V.L., Carroll, M.J., Chambers, M.L., Graham, R.H., Watkins De Jong, E.E., Calle, S.N., Meador, C.A., Snyder, L.A., Ziolkowski, N.F. 2018. Connecting the nutrient composition of seasonal pollens with changing nutritional needs of honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies. Journal of Insect Physiology. 109:114-124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jinsphys.2018.07.002.Population growth of Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae) in colonies of Russian and unselected honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) stock as related to numbers of foragers with mites-(Peer Reviewed Journal) Hoffman, G.D., Ahumada, F., Danka, R.G., Chambers, M.L., Watkins De Jong, E.E., Hidalgo, G. 2017. Population growth of Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae) in colonies of Russian and unselected honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) stock as related to numbers of foragers with mites. Journal of Economic Entomology. 110:809-815. doi:10.1093/jee/tox069.Honey bee gut microbial communities are robust to the fungicide Pristine® consumed in pollen-(Peer Reviewed Journal) Hoffman, G.D., Corby-Harris, V.L., Watkins De Jong, E.E., Chambers, M.L., Hidalgo, G. 2016. Honey bee gut microbial communities are robust to the fungicide Pristine® consumed in pollen. Apidologie. doi:10.1007/s13592-016-0478-y.Population growth of Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae) in honey bee colonies is affected by the number of foragers with mites-(Peer Reviewed Journal) Hoffman, G.D., Ahumada, F., Zazueta, V.E., Chambers, M.L., Hidalgo, G., Watkins De Jong, E.E. 2016. Population growth of Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae) in honey bee colonies is affected by the number of foragers with mites. Experimental and Applied Acarology. doi: 10.1007/s10493-016-0022-9.Effects of oral exposure to fungicides on honey bee nutrition and immunity-(Peer Reviewed Journal) Hoffman, G.D., Chen, Y., Watkins De Jong, E.E., Chambers, M.L., Hidalgo, G. 2015. Effects of oral exposure to fungicides on honey bee nutrition and immunity. Journal of Economic Entomology. doi: 10.1093/jee/tov251.Honey bee colonies provided with natural forage have lower pathogen loads and higher overwinter survival than those fed protein supplements-(Peer Reviewed Journal) Hoffman, G.D., Chen, Y., Rivera, R., Carroll, M.J., Chambers, M.L., Hidalgo, G., Watkins De Jong, E.E. 2015. Honey bee colonies provided with natural forage have lower pathogen loads and higher overwinter survival than those fed protein supplements. Apidologie. doi: 10.1007/s13592-015-0386-6.EFFECTS OF HONEY BEE (HYMENOPTERA: APIDAE) FORAGING ON SEED SET IN SELF-FERTILE SUNFLOWERS (HELIANTHUS ANNUUS L.)-(Peer Reviewed Journal) DeGrandi-Hoffman, G., Chambers, M.  2006. Effects of Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Foraging on Seed Set in Self-fertile Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus L.).  Environ. Entomol. 35(4): 1103-1108.DESCRIPTION OF AN INTERMORPH BETWEEN A WORKER AND QUEEN IN AFRICAN HONEY BEES APIS MELLIFERA SCUTELLATA (HYMENOPTERA: APIDAE)-(Peer Reviewed Journal) DeGrandi-Hoffman, G., Chambers, M., Hooper, J.E., Schneider, S.S.  Description of an intermorph between a worker and queen in African honey bees Apis mellifera scutellata (Hymenoptera: Apidae).  Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 2004. 97:1299-1305.  ProjectsNo projects listed for this employee.  ARS News ArticlesNo news articles listed for this employee.


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