Dr. Stephen F. Pernal

Image Stephen Pernal
Research Scientist

National Lead, Apiculture Research Program

Officer-in-Charge, Beaverlodge Research Farm

Current research and/or projects

  • BeeCSI: ‘Omic Tools for Assessing Bee Health (Genome Canada LSARP)
  • American Foulbrood Disease Surveillance and Management
  • IPM of Varroa Mites Using Novel Compounds
  • Emerging Threats to Pollinators
  • Honey Bee Health and Blueberry Pollination
  • Plant Virus Surveillance Using Honey Bees
  • NGS of Bees and Pollen for Biosurveillance of Agricultural Pathogens and Invasive Species

Research and/or project statements

My lab’s current research addresses the following:

  •  Developing a real-time diagnostic tool for evaluating bee health.
  •  Improving the detection and management of American Foulbrood Disease to prevent outbreaks.
  •  Evaluating new compounds for the control of Varroa mites.
  •  Evaluating the impact of novel trypanosome parasites on honey bees.
  •  Examining the health of honey bees in pollination systems.
  •  Using honey bees as a surveillance tool for invasive plant and bee pathogens.

Professional activities / interests

  • Canadian Member of the Network for the Investigation and Prevention of Colony Losses (COLOSS)
  • National Honey Bee Health Round Table – Steering Committee Member
  • Alberta Beekeepers Technical Transfer Program - Steering Committee Member          
  • National Bee Diagnostic Centre - Advisory Board Member
  • Graduate Supervisor at University of Alberta and University of Manitoba

Education and awards

Education:

  • B.Sc. (Spec.) Zoology, Brandon University (1989)
  • M.Sc. Entomology, University of Manitoba (1992)
  • Ph.D. Apiculture, University of Manitoba (2001)

Awards:

  • James I. Hambleton Award for Outstanding Apicultural Research - Eastern Apicultural Society of North America (2022)
  • Achievement Award, Alberta Beekeepers’ Commission (2019)
  • North American Pollinator Protection Campaign – Honorary Host Committee (2019, 2018)
  • AAFC Gold Harvest Award - for Innovation, Collaboration and Service Excellence (2017)
  • Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal - for Excellence in Public and Community Service (2013)

International experience and/or work

  • Scientific Program Chair of the 46th Apimondia International Apicultural Congress and Canadian Representative to the International Federation of Beekeepers' Associations
  • USDA-AAFC Joint Priority Areas of Research Collaborations - Canadian National Lead on Pollinator Health

Key publications

  1. Pernal SF, Colwell MJ, Currie RW (2023) Intra-colony transmission of waxborne honey bee viruses following irradiation and storage. 48th International Apimondia Congress, p. 234, 4-8 Sep 2024, Santiago, Chile. https://apimondia2023.com/docs/abstract-book.pdf

    2023 - View publication details

  2. Hewapathirana CM, Bilodeau GJ, Rott ME, Guarna MM, Pernal SF, Griffiths JS (2023) High throughput sequencing (HTS) of bees and pollen for bio-surveillance of agricultural and pathogens. Tri-Society meeting of the Canadian Phytopathological Society, the Canadian Society of Agronomy (CSA) and the Canadian Society for Horticultural Science, p. 42, 17 – 21 June 2023, Ottawa, ON. https://phytopath.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Tri-Society-Conference-program-book.pdf

    2023 - View publication details

  3. Pernal SF, Guarna MM (2023) Research Report. Emerging threats to pollinators. Proceedings of the Canadian Association of Professional Apiculturists, p. 126, 19-20 Jan 2023, Halifax, NS. (Abstract)

    2023 - View publication details

  4. Pernal SF, Lu R, Ibrahim A, Macias-Samano J, Plettner E Field trials of a new compound to control Varroa destructor, an ectoparasite of honey bees (Apis mellifera). 2022 Entomological Society of America, Entomological Society of Canada and Entomological Society of British Columbia Joint Annual Meeting, 13-16 Nov 2022, Vancouver, BC.

    2022 - View publication details

  5. MacInnis CI, Luong L, Pernal SF (2022) Two's a party, is three a crowd?: How honey bees respond to infection with Nosema ceranae and Lotmaria passim. 2022 Entomological Society of America, Entomological Society of Canada and Entomological Society of British Columbia Joint Annual Meeting, 13-16 Nov 2022, Vancouver, BC.

    2022 - View publication details

  6. Smith T, Hoover SE, Labuschagne R, Pernal SF, Rueppell O (2022) Beyond body size: Using honey bee queen behaviour to predict queen quality and colony success. 2022 Entomological Society of America, Entomological Society of Canada and Entomological Society of British Columbia Joint Annual Meeting, 13-16 Nov 2022, Vancouver, BC.

    2022 - View publication details

  7. Raičević J , Cunningham M, Griffiths JS, Wu L, Pernal, SF, Deckers T, Tran L, Ortega Polo, Zorz J, Clarke K, Newman T, Lansing L, Rott ME, Bilodeau GJ, Bishop C, Jabbari H, Guarna MM (2022) Honey bees as biomonitors of plant pathogens, pesticides, and antimicrobial resistance. EurBee 9 – 9th European Congress of Apidology Proceedings, p. 352, 20-22 September 2022, Belgrade, Serbia. (Poster) https://zenodo.org/record/7239012#.Y4BgMnbMKUk

    2022 - View publication details

  8. Hoover SE, Melathopoulos AP, Waytes R, Robinson S, Pernal SF, Adamidis G, Cartar RV (2021) A sweet relationship: bees and canola production in Canada. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Manitoba, 77: 79, 3-4 Dec 2021,Winnipeg, MB.

    2022 - View publication details

  9. Ferland, J, Kempers M, Kennedy K, Kozak P, Lafrenière R, Maund C, Menzies C, Mesher C, Muirhead S, Nasr M, Pernal S, Sproule J, van Westendorp P, Wilson G (2022) CAPA report on honey bee wintering losses in Canada (2022). https://capabees.com/shared/CAPA-Statement-on-Colony-Losses-2021-2022-FV.pdf

    2022 - View publication details

  10. Kyle B, Berke O, Pearl D, Pernal SF (2022) Clustering of American foulbrood in managed honey bees (Apis mellifera) in Ontario, 2015-2020. International Symposia on Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics Proceedings, Volume ISVEE 16: Proceedings of the 16th Symposium, pp 208, 7-12 Aug 2022, Halifax. (Abstract) https://sciquest.org.nz/browse/publications/article/171130

    2022 - View publication details

  11. Pernal SF, Borba R, Hoover SE, Currie RW, Guarna MM, Giovenazzo P, Zayed A, Foster LJ (2022) Analysis of pathogens associated with winter colony losses in Canada. 47th International Apimondia Congress, pp. 42-43, 24-28 Aug 2022, Istanbul, Turkey.
    https://www.apimondia.org/uploads/7/6/4/3/76436993/47th_apimondia_congres_abstract_book_compressed.pdf

    2022 - View publication details

  12. Pernal SF, Plettner E, Lu R, Rueppell O, Macías-Sámano J, Ibrahim A (2022) A new acaricidal compound against Varroa. 47th Apimondia International Apimondia Congress, p. 8, 24-28 Aug 2022, Istanbul,Turkey. https://www.apimondia.org/uploads/7/6/4/3/76436993/47th_apimondia_congres_abstract_book_compressed.pdf

    2022 - View publication details

  13. Pernal SF (2022) Developing markers for breeding bees. Eastern Apicultural Short Course and Conference, Ithaca, NY, 1-5 Aug 2022.

    2022 - View publication details

  14. Ferland, J, Kempers M, Kennedy K, Kozak P, Lafrenière R, Maund C, Menzies C, Mesher C, Muirhead S, Nasr M, Pernal S, Sproule J, van Westendorp P, Wilson G (2022) CAPA preliminary report on honey bee wintering losses in Canada (2022). https://capabees.com/shared/CAPA-preliminary-report-on-winter-losses-2021-2022_FV.pdf

    2022 - View publication details

  15. Pernal SF, Plettner E (2022) Report for the Canadian Bee Research Fund 2021-22). Field trials of a new acaricidal compound against Varroa destructor in honey bee colonies. Hivelights 35(2): 10-12.

    2022 - View publication details

  16. Pernal SF, Plettner E (2022) Report for the Canadian Bee Research Fund 2021-22). Field trials of a new acaricidal compound against Varroa destructor in honey bee colonies. Hivelights 35(2): 10-12.

    2022 - View publication details

  17. Walsh EM, Paillard M, Giovenazzo P, Pernal SF (2022) Honey bee (Apis mellifera) social immunity behaviours: Variance between domestic stocks and effect on chalkbrood (Ascosphaera apis) infection. 2022 American Bee Research Conference Proceedings, 13-14 Jan 2022. (Virtual Meeting) Bee Culture (In Press)

    2022 - View publication details

  18. MacInnis C, Guarna MM, Luong LT, Pernal SF (2022) Three’s a crowd: How honey bees respond to infection with Lotmaria passim and Nosema ceranae. 2022 American Bee Research Conference, 13-14 Jan 2022. (Virtual Meeting) Bee Culture (in press).

    2022 - View publication details

  19. Gladish DW, Rott ME, Guarna MM, Pernal SF, Griffiths JF, Bilodeau GJ (2022) Evaluation of plant-pollinator ecosystem health and rapid detection of plant and bee pathogens by high-throughput sequencing of European honey bee (Apis mellifera). Tri-Society Virtual Conference: Canadian Phytopathological Society, Canadian Society for Horticultural Science, Canadian Society of Agronomy, 2021, 5-9 July 2021 Canadian Journal of Plant Pathology (in press)
    https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epub/10.1080/07060661.2021.2009254?needAccess=true

    2022 - View publication details

  20. Pernal SF, Plettner E (2021) Research Report. Field trials of a new acaricidal compound against Varroa destructor in honey bee colonies Proceedings of the Canadian Association of Professional Apiculturists, p. 106-107, 4-5 Nov 2021. (Virtual) (Abstract).

    2021 - View publication details

Research facility

6000 C and E Trail
Lacombe, AB T4L 1W1
Canada

Expertise

Affiliations

  • Canadian Association of Professional Apiculturists - Member and Former President
  • Entomological Society of Canada
  • Entomological Society of America
  • American Association of Professional Apiculturists
  • Alberta Beekeepers Commission / Canadian Honey Council / Alberta Honey Producers Cooperative – Registered Member

Language

English