Areas of Interest
Phylogenomics
We are actively researching bee and wasp phylogenetic relationships through the use of high throughput DNA sequencing.
Diversity & Conservation
We are utilizing the power of community science to locate, characterize, and protect the valuable nesting sites of ground-nesting bees using the iNaturalist platform. For more information on this project, see Project GNBee.
Bee-microbe Interactions
We are exploring the diversity of microbes associated with solitary bee brood cells through high-throughput DNA sequencing.
Pollination Biology
We are documenting the important role of wild, native bees in agricultural pollination.
The Bee Course 2026
August 16-26, 2026
The Bee Course is a nine day intensive workshop offered for conservation biologists, pollination ecologists, and other biologists who want to gain greater knowledge of the systematics and biology of bees. Details of the course are provided on the Bee Course website.
Project GNBee
Conservation via Community Science
With initial funding from the Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability, we have established a community science program to identify, map, characterize, and conserve the valuable nesting sites of ground-nesting solitary bees (Project GNBee). Through engagement with a network of community scientists via our iNaturalist platform, we are learning where ground-nesting bee aggregations occur, developing predictive models to locate additional nestsites, creating a valuable research tool for melittologists (bee biologists), and conserving and protecting these valuable sites from human impact.