Honeybees and veterinarians

Get It!

Honeybees are considered food animals under the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD). This means veterinarians must oversee the administration of any medically important antibiotics to honeybees. Join Dr. Chris Cripps, a veterinarian and beekeeping supply business owner, to learn about honeybee biology, diseases that affect honeybees, possible treatments or controls for common diseases, and the role veterinarians may play in the apiary. 

  • The need for veterinary involvement in treating honeybees 

  • Common bacterial diseases of honeybees 

  • Treatments for honeybee diseases and how to prescribe them

Dr. Chris Cripps has been keeping bees since he earned his beekeeping merit badge as a Boy Scout. He earned his DVM from The Ohio State University, during which time he also worked as a bee inspector for Franklin and Delaware counties. He worked as a food animal veterinarian in Greenwich, N.Y., for 17 years while keeping bees as a hobby. In 2012, he bought Betterbee, a beekeeping supply business. As one of the business’ managing partners, he teaches classes and works with customers to help diagnose and correct problems affecting their bees. He has served as president of the Southern Adirondack Beekeepers Association, member of the New York State Apiary Industry Advisory Committee, and an organizer of the Honey Bee Veterinary Consortium.

Get It!