Feeding on flowers is complicated work. Bees venture out of the colony over and over again, collecting nectar and pollen for themselves and their nest-mates, learning how to identify and manipulate flowers that change throughout the season while dodging predators and parasites. How do bees manage it all? One option is to follow around other bees and copy what they do. However, sometimes bees can’t—or won’t—use the information they learn from watching other bees. In this talk, we discuss Dr. McDermott’s research on how social cues and neonicotinoid pesticide exposure influence how bees choose flowers and what bees learn from their choices.

Donna McDermott studies the behavioral ecology of foraging bumble bees. She recently completed a PhD in Population Biology, Ecology, and Evolution at Emory University. This fall, she begins a faculty position in Emory’s English Department as an Assistant Teaching Professor, teaching science writing. She has previously taught courses in animal behavior, science communication, interdisciplinary writing, and pedagogy. In addition to her work as an educator, she has worked as a journalist through the AAAS Mass Media Fellowship, a wildlife biologist, a program coordinator for ScienceATL’s community science outreach, and a ghost tour guide.

This event is free following admission into the Garden.

Date: June 16, 6 p.m. EST
Location: Day Hall

Additional Outreach
Twitter: @DonnaRMcDermott