Agostina Giacobino

Agostina Giacobino Profile Photo

PhD

I am from Argentina and joined the Auburn University Bee Center in 2024 as a visiting researcher. Before moving to the U.S., I worked as an Associate Researcher at Argentina’s National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), where I am currently on leave to gain international research experience.

My research focuses on understanding the complex interactions between environmental factors and beekeeping management practices that influence the spread of Varroa mites, one of the most significant pests affecting honey bee colonies worldwide.

At the Bee Center, I am involved in several projects exploring alternative strategies for Varroa control, with the goal of promoting more sustainable beekeeping practices. I also help coordinate the annual U.S. Beekeeping Survey, a nationwide project that estimates honey bee colony losses and documents the main management practices used by beekeepers across the United States.

The U.S. Beekeeping Survey: Colony Losses, Varroa, and Better Data (403)
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Sept. 21, 2026

The U.S. Beekeeping Survey: Colony Losses, Varroa, and Better Data (403)

What can nearly two decades of beekeeper-reported data tell us about colony health—and what can it not tell us? In this episode, Jeff Ott and Becky Masterman welcome Dr. Geoff Williams, Dr. Nathalie Steinhauer, and Dr. Agostina Giacobino to discuss the 2026 U.S. Beekeeping Survey and its continuity after the closure of the Bee Informed Partnership. The team explains why annual colony-loss rates function much like a mortality or turnover measure rather than a direct count of the nation’s living ...
Guests: Nathalie Steinhauer , Geoff Williams , Agostina Giacobino
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