Our research focuses on the genomic analysis of social behavior in honey bees and other social insect species.
We are primarily interesting in understanding the molecular basis and evolution of chemical communication and host-parasite interactions. We are characterizing the molecular, physiological, behavioral, and social factors that regulate these processes. These studies not only shed light on the molecular pathways underlying behavior, olfaction, immunity, and chemical ecology, but can also serve as th
01/04/2024
Why are bees making less honey? Study reveals clues in five decades of data | Penn State University Honey yields in the U.S. have been declining since the 1990s, with honey producers and scientists unsure why, but a new study by Penn State researchers has uncovered clues in the mystery of the missing honey.
11/13/2023
The Penn State Honey and Pollen Diagnostic Lab (PSU HPDL) is pleased to announce that we are now accepting honey and pollen samples for our pollen identification service!
The Penn State Honey and Pollen Diagnostic Lab - The Center for Pollinator Research Purpose The goal of the Penn State Honey and Pollen Diagnostic Lab (PSU HPDL) is to offer researchers and beekeepers services to identify floral resources and
11/10/2023
Viruses may become less virulent in isolated bee populations - read more about former graduate student Allyson Ray's study here!
Dangerous bee virus less deadly in at least one US forest, researchers find | Penn State University This year’s cold and flu season is bringing good news for honey bees: Penn State researchers have found that the deadly deformed wing virus may have evolved to be less deadly in at least one U.S. forest.
12/16/2022
Congratulations to former lab members Anthony Vaudo and Emily Erickson - their collaborative paper with Junpeng Mu (who was a visiting scientist in our lab) is published in Scientific Reports! Vaudo, A. D., Erickson, E., Patch, H. M., Grozinger, C. M., and Mu, J. “Impacts of soil nutrition on floral traits, pollinator attraction, and fitness in cucumbers (Cucumis sativus l.)” Scientific Reports:
Impacts of soil nutrition on floral traits, pollinator attraction, and fitness in cucumbers (Cucumis sativus L.) - Scientific Reports Annual plants allocate soil nutrients to floral display and pollinator rewards to ensure pollination success in a single season. Nitrogen and phosphorus are critical soil nutrients whose levels are altered by intensive land use that may affect plants’ fitness via pollinator attractiveness through ...
10/13/2022
In November 2021 we ran a workshop to understand what beekeepers, conservationists, growers and scientists needed in our Beescape interactive tool. The paper results from those studies has just been published! Congrats to Tim Prestby who led this effort!
Characterizing user needs for Beescape: A spatial decision support tool focused on pollinator health Interactive maps can serve as powerful environmental decision-support tools. However, designing an interactive map that meets the needs of diverse con…
Many congratulations to Dr. Allyson Ray, on her successful PhD thesis defense today! Dr. Ray's thesis is titled, "DEFORMED WING VIRUS IN THE WESTERN HONEY BEE (APIS MELLIFERA) : GENOTYPIC AND PHENOTYPIC VARIATION ACROSS CONTEXTS AND SCALES". After wrapping things up at Penn State, Dr. Ray will be joining Ann Tate's research group at Vanderbilt University as a postdoctoral scientist.
Many congratulations to Codey Mathis whose NE SARE Graduate Research Grant proposal was selected for funding! Codey's project is titled "Building for Bees: The Effect of Plant Arrangement on Pollinator Communities in Managed Habitats".
07/27/2022
New article in Nautilus magazine about bee declines, and the impacts of climate:
How Are the Bees? The collapse of our pollinators may no longer be headlines, but we’re still killing their buzz.
Many congratulations to former postdoc DJ McNeil, who has accepted a faculty position in the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources at University of Kentucky!
07/08/2022
Many congratulations to former grad student, Mehmet (Mali) Ali Döke, who has accepted a position as a Junior Assistant Professor at University College Utrecht in the Netherlands!!!!
University College Utrecht University College Utrecht is the Liberal Arts and Sciences college of Utrecht University. Students live and study together on a campus.
Congratulations to Codey Mathis, who was selected for the 2022 Dr. Zane Smilowitz Endowment for Student Excellence Award, and to Makaylee Crone, who was selected for the 2022 Ralph O. Mumma Graduate Award!!!!