Employment
1990 -Present.  Staff Apiarist.  Ohio State University.
1982-1990   Vaca Valley Apiary & Kiwi Vineyard. Vacaville, CA.
1981, 1982   USDA Bee Breeding and Stock Research Center, Baton Rouge, La.
1978 -1980   University of California. Bee Biology Facility.  Davis, Ca.
1978     Genetic Systems, Inc. La Belle, FL
1977     Kendal Apiaries White Sulphur Springs, MT
1977     Wenner Honey Farm Inc. Glenn, CA

Interests
I enjoy giving practical application to scientific findings, building a bridge between research and industry, especially in the area of stock improvement. My training includes practical experience in the field, working with several innovative  commercial operations in various aspects of beekeeping and several leading honey bee research labs.

Much of my attention has been focused on the New World Carniolan Closed Population Breeding Program. This line of bees was first developed at Vaca Valley Apiaries, a business I co-owned in California throughout the 1980s.  The breeding program is now continued at OSU as a cooperative effort with a group of  commercial queen producers. I am still impressed by the production and survival strategy and the elegance of this race of honey bee.

The potential of stock improvement will take a lifetime to explore and benefit beekeeping world wide. Teaching instrumental insemination and practical selection and breeding methods is a highlight of my work and continues to introduce me to bee researchers and beekeepers worldwide.

Selected Publications
Cobey, S. 1997. Honey Bee Tracheal Mite Resistance: Are resistant stocks developing and can they be maintained? Amer. Bee Jour. 137:738-740.

Cobey, S. 1995. Instrumental Insemination Equipment: Sophistication and Simplification in Designs. ABJ. 135:697-701.

Sammataro, D., S. Cobey, B.H. Smith, G. R. Needham. 1994. Controlling Tracheal Mites (Acari: Tarsonemidae) in Honey Bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) with Vegetable Oil. J. Econ. Ent. 87: 910- 916

Cobey, S. and Lawrence, T. 1988. Commercial Application and Practical Use Of the Page-Laidlaw Closed Population Breeding Program. Amer. Bee Jour. Vol. 128: 341-344.

Cobey, S. 1983.  Instrumental Insemination: The Development Of Instrumental Insemination, Current Developments And Its Application Today, Drone Rearing,  The Possibility Of Semen Storage. Amer. Bee Jour. 123: 108-111, 182-186, 284-289, 389-395.