I began my education in entomology at the University of Massachusetts.  I continued my education at the University of Minnesota, receiving a PhD in entomolgy with a minor in microbiology.

     I was selected to be the Extension Apiculturist at the University of California, Davis campus, in 1976.  Since that time I have become familiar with all aspects of commercial and non-commercial beekeeping.  I have interacted frequently with local beekeeping organizations, the California State Beekeeper's Association, the Western Apicultural Society, The National Honey Board, the American Beekeeping Federation, the American Honey Producers Association, the Apiary Inspectors of America, the California Farm Bureau Federation, the California Department of Food and Agriculture, the California Department of Pesticide Regulation, and the US Environmental Protection Agency.  I have worked closely with cooperative extension county farm advisors and made many presentations at their county commodity meetings, as well as at grower and pesticide management meetings sponsored by the California Association of Pest Control Advisors (CAPCA) and the Professional Association of Pesticide Applicators (PAPA).

     On my UC Davis entomology department web page (entomology.ucdavis.edu/Faculty/Eric_C_Mussen) I have topical articles on beekeeping, titled "Bee Briefs," and the site also contains electronic copies of my newsletter "from the UC Apiares" and instructions for self-subscribing to that newsletter.