The hum of bees fills the air. Maple, now nine years old, stands still with her nose working. The retired police dog wears a beekeeping suit, specially tailored for her. A slight shift in her head catches the attention of her handler, Sue Stejskal. Maple’s nose has picked up something.
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The idea of channeling support into practical, hands-on work is what brings these efforts to life. When resources are used to back skilled teams, the results can be seen in the field, not just on paper. That is exactly the case with Maple and the people working beside her.
From patrolling streets to walking between rows of hives, Maple’s new job is worlds apart from her old one. These days, she’s on the lookout for American foulbrood, a bacterium that can wipe out an entire hive. If it goes unnoticed, the only way to stop it is to destroy the colony. Catch it early, and the bees survive. Miss it, and they’re gone.
Stejskal adapted a child’s beekeeping suit for Maple, adding protective boots and, in summer, a cooling vest. The outfit allows her to work in the middle of active hives without harm. Her method is simple. She moves in slow, even lines, weaving between the boxes. If she detects the scent, she sits. That is the signal for researchers to collect samples and confirm what she has found.
The project is led by assistant professor Meghan Milbrath. She says Maple has changed the pace of inspections. Visual checks take time and disturb the bees. With her nose, she can work through dozens of hives in the time it takes to open just a few. Milbrath’s team is preparing a guide so that other handlers can train dogs for the same work.
Bee colonies are under strain across the country. Between April 2024 and April 2025, beekeepers reported losing more than half of their hives. American foulbrood is not the only cause, but it is among the most severe. Spores from the disease can survive for decades in old equipment or soil. A hive that looks busy one week can be silent the next.
On the south side of Michigan State University’s campus, fifteen acres hold the Pollinator Performance Center. It is where researchers work, teach, and train people to protect pollinators. Maple’s nose is now part of that work. Years ago she followed the trail of missing people or searched for evidence. Now she uses the same skill to protect a smaller, quieter world.
On a warm afternoon, the air hums with the steady sound of bees at work. Maple moves carefully, her handler a step behind. When she stops and sits, the team moves in to take a closer look. The process is calm, unhurried. Each time she sits, it could mean a colony saved. One early detection can save a colony, and that colony can pollinate acres of crops.
Milbrath calls the approach practical and effective. Stejskal calls it a good way for an old partner to keep working. For Maple, it’s another day on duty — just with different sights, different sounds, and a suit made for bees.