Insect pollinator nutritional & behavioral ecology
As a kid, I thought that all scientists dressed in a white coat and goggles, ready to mix chemicals and use fancy equipment in a lab. I didn’t realize that in playing outdoors, catching insects, and asking questions, I was doing science. Now as a field biologist, I am constantly inspired by the natural curiosity […]
Last month I had the opportunity to run a workshop on protecting native bees for 250+ kids at Camp Micah in Bridgton, ME. Like humans, bees need three things: food, shelter, and water. In my workshop, the campers focused on shelter—we built 200 bee “hotels” to donate to the Honeybee Conservancy for their Sponsor-A-Hive program. […]
For the last few years, I have had the honor of working with staff at the Discovery Museum in Acton, MA to develop and present my “All About Bees” program. Museum visitors get to taste honey, observe insects under a microscope, and make their own beeswax candles. To read more about last year’s program and […]
“If you ask questions, make predictions, and search for answers, you are a scientist. ‘Science’ isn’t a person in a lab coat using fancy equipment and mixing chemicals, it’s a process that can be done in a lab, in a classroom, at home, out in the field.” For the past couple years, I have been […]
Recently, I had the honor of becoming a part of the Tufts University Ever Wonder? video series! To learn how bees make honey, check out my video below! If you have more questions about bees and/or honey, leave a comment on Twitter, LinkedIn, or Facebook and I will answer!
Miles (5 yo) asked: Why do flowers smell nice? I got to chat with Washington State University’s Dr. Universe to help answer that question! Check out the answer here!
I have the pleasure to be a part of the new group, the Tufts Pollinator Initiative (TPI). Our group was recently funded by the Tufts Green Fund to make Tufts University a better place for pollinators! To learn about our initiative, check out TPI’s first blog post (written by yours truly) here!
2018 was a busy year for me: I successfully defended my PhD, I got married, and I started a new job studying a new study system! Read about my (and other’s!) 2018 research highlight and favorite conference/field experience on the Insectes Souciaux blog here.
Nature can be hostile, especially for insects — tiny creatures that deal with big problems. They get eaten, they dry out, they get smashed. Believe it or not, insects also deal with even tinier pests and pathogens, just as we do. Also, like us, insects have developed an immune system to combat such microscopic threats. […]
“So is there anything everyday people can do to keep these creatures around so that future generations can experience the joy seen in Bonoan’s class? Surprisingly, yes.” Last week, I had the pleasure of hosting ExPress writer, Emma Hodgdon, in my insect pollinators class. I teach From Bees to Beetles: Insect Pollinators and Real-World Science […]
Providence Pollinator Lab 