November Program

Honey Bees vs. Wild Bees:
Friends, Foes, or Frenemies?

Dr. Sarah Wood

7:30 PM, Thursday Nov. 20, 2025

In person and online!
Rm #GB06 Health Sciences Bldg, U of S

Dr. Sarah Wood, MSc, DVM, PhD, DACVP, Research Chair in Pollinator Health, Associate Professor, Department of Veterinary Pathology, along with her graduate student, Emilio Enrique Tellarini Prieto, will share and discuss current research at the University of Saskatchewan related to wild and managed pollinators.

Dr. Wood’s research program focuses on optimizing the management and diagnosis of honey bee disease to enhance the health and productivity of Canadian honey bee colonies. Her specific research aims include understanding mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance of foulbrood bacteria, investigating the safety and efficacy of overwinter miticide treatments, enhancing pesticide risk assessment for honey bee drones, and improving honey bee health to ensure sustainable pollination of blueberries and canola. The outcomes of this applied research, including novel therapeutics and diagnostics for honey bee disease, will have direct, positive impacts on the health of honey bees and the crops they pollinate, with overall benefits for food security and sustainability. Moreover, Dr. Wood’s research program strengthens the relationship between veterinarians and beekeepers, fostering shared advancements in antimicrobial stewardship and surveillance of bee disease.

Emilio Enrique Tellarini Prieto, MSc, Agriculture Engineer, was born in Argentina and took his bachelor degree there as Agriculture Engineer at the National University of the South. From 2023 to August 2025, he did his Masters in the Honey Bee Health Lab, supervised by Dr. Sarah Wood at the Department of Veterinary Pathology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan.

As an Agricultural Engineer with a Master of Science, Emilio’s research explores the intersection between agriculture and pollinator health, with a focus on honey bee nutrition, pesticide exposure, and wild bee diversity in canola-dominated landscapes of the Canadian Prairies. Emilio has worked as a researcher and extensionist in the private sector, supporting sustainable beekeeping practices and farmer education. During his MSc, he published in Frontiers in Bee Science, presented his work at national conferences, and co-supervised several students in pollinator ecology projects. Emilio’s work aims to strengthen the link between agricultural productivity and pollinator conservation, contributing to sustainable food systems and resilient prairie ecosystems. Today, he is working as a research assistant for the Saskatchewan Beekeepers Development Commission, where he is leading several projects related to honey bee health.

Please note that if the link to join online requests a passcode, please enter SNS. If you have trouble connecting via the Zoom link, please text or phone LeeAnn at 306-880-9027. Please consider joining the meeting a little early so we can address any problems.

All members who have registered an email address with SNS will receive an email containing the link to join the meeting through Zoom. If you have not registered an email address with us, but would like to do so, please contact Claire Bullaro at c.bear@sasktel.net.

Tracking Migratory Birds:Where Do They Really Fly? – Ernesto Carman

September 2022

Wetland Drainage and its Impacts on Biodiversity in the Prairie and Parkland Region of Canada

Kiel Drake

February 2022

Monthly Meetings and Speaker Programme

Listen, learn, and share ideas with people who are passionate about our natural world! 

SNS offers a monthly speaker programme from September to April on the third Thursday of the month. All meetings are live streamed through Zoom.

During the fall and spring months presentations will be in hybrid format: speakers will present live at in-person meetings while being simultaneously streamed through Zoom. During winter months speakers may be streamed from outside the Saskatoon region and on these occasions, there will be no in-person meeting.

All are welcome to attend these meetings either in-person or through Zoom. Look for details about each month’s meeting in the SNS membership newsletter, confirming any in-person meeting time and place. A reminder email with the meeting details and Zoom link will be sent to each member whose current email address is on file.

Non-members who wish to attend through Zoom should provide their name and email address to Claire Bullaro at c.bear@sasktel.netfor each meeting. Please consider becoming a member of the Saskatoon Nature Society if you wish to receive the Zoom link automatically each month.

In person meetings are held on the University of Saskatchewan Campus and are thus subject to the university’s rules regarding COVID restrictions. At present, masks and social distancing are encouraged but not required. We will not be providing shared refreshments, so please bring your own drinks and snacks.

The monthly meetings include announcements from the SNS president. If you have an announcement or notice, please contact the president at least 2 days before the meeting.