A 9-year-old former police dog named Maple is using her exceptional sense of smell to help save thousands of honeybee hives from a deadly fungus. The American foulbrood, which affects only when it reaches severe infection, poses a significant threat to colony survival.
Maple, who works at Michigan State University’s Pollinator Performance Center, detects the fungus through scent alone, allowing her to identify affected colonies quickly. Her handler, Sue Stejskal, explains that Maple is trained to sniff out specific odors and conduct an action when she finds them.
The ultimate goal is for Maple’s training to serve as a blueprint for teaching other dogs to detect honeybee diseases. This comes as the US has experienced a record-breaking year of colony deaths, primarily due to pesticides, pathogens, poor nutrition, and pests.
Maple’s crossover into bee conservation came after she medically retired from police work due to an injury. Stejskal introduced her to researcher Meghan Milbrath, who developed a project on developing beekeeper resources and managing bacterial disease. The team at MSU outfits Maple with protective gear, including a customized bee suit, cooling vest, and dog boots, to ensure her comfort and safety while working with bees.
Stejskal describes Maple’s work as “play” for the dog, but acknowledges it as their shared retirement activity. As a family, they have enjoyed delving into bee conservation together, making Maple’s role in saving honeybee hives all the more meaningful.
Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2025/08/09/maple-dog-bee-conservation