R E S E A R C H

NATIVE BUMBLE BEE HEALTH​

       The rusty-patched bumble bee Bombus affinis recently became the first bumble bee listed as endangered by the US government. I am excited to begin my graduate work with bumble bees in Madison-- one of the few locations where B. affinis is still found. I plan to investigate the landscape traits that may be important for supporting bumble bee populations in urban and rural settings. Read more about my bumble bee research adventures on the blog.

P A S T      W O R K

BUTTERFLY COMMUNICATION

       Butterflies may communicate through wing patterns  only visible in the UV or long wavelength spectra. Using the collections at the Harvard Museum of Comparative Zoology, I worked with the Pierce Lab to image and analyze wings across the major lineages of butterflies and their relatives. We aim to survey any 'private channel’ communication these wings might display.

H O N E Y     B E E ​ ​   F O R A G I N G

       Honey bees forage for pollen and nectar to satisfy the changing needs of their colonies throughout the spring, summer, and fall. Under Dr. Rachael Bonoan at Tufts University, our team demonstrated that honey bees seek different minerals in their drinking water depending on the seasons, too!