Hymenoptera

Sarah Kocher

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

7:30 PM

Harnessing natural variation to study the evolution of social behavior

MCZ 101, 26 Oxford Street, Harvard University

Sarah Kocher
Harvard University

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Species exhibiting natural phenotypic variation are ideal for ecological genomic studies aimed at identifying some of the key genetic and environmental factors underlying the evolution of these traits. Halictid bees, or ‘sweat’ bees harbor extensive variation in sociality both within and between species, making them a model system for understanding the evolution of social behavior. One species in particular is ideal for dissecting the genetic basis of social behavior – Lasioglossum albipes. This species varies in social structure across populations, and common-garden experiments have suggested that this variation has a strong genetic component. I have recently completed a draft genome for this species, and ongoing population and comparative genomic work suggests that there are common genetic factors underlying the evolution of social behavior in this group of bees. I have also used a comparative framework to identify common ecological factors associated with biogeographic patterns in social structure. I will discuss how this work can improve our understanding of the link between the proximate mechanisms underlying individual variation in social behavior and the population processes driving their evolution.

The talk is free and open to the public. The meeting is readily accessible via public transportation. Parking is available in the Oxford Street Garage with advance arrangement, as described here, or (usually but not always) at spaces on nearby streets. Everyone is also welcome to join us for dinner before the talk (beginning at 6:00 PM) at Cambridge Common restaurant, on 1667 Massachusetts Ave.

CEC meetings are held the second Tuesday of the month from October through May. The evening schedule typically includes an informal dinner (6:00 to 7:15 PM) followed by our formal meeting (7:30 – 9:00 PM). The latter begins with club business and is followed by a 50 minute entomology related presentation. Membership is open to amateur and professional entomologists.

Noah Wilson-Rich

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

7:30 PM

Our future with Bees – A conversation with the author of The Bee: A Natural History

MCZ 101, 26 Oxford Street, Harvard University

Noah Wilson-Rich
Founder of The Best Bees Company
The Bee- A Natural History
The world’s bees can create economic and ecological sustainability, if only we let them. We know the vital importance of bees, yet we also know that they are dying off. What does the future human condition look like in a world that incorporates bees into our architecture, healthcare, and every day lives?

Noah Wilson-Rich, Ph.D. is a behavioral ecologist, a beekeeper, and the founder of The Best Bees Company™. He is a 2007 graduate from the Bee School at the Essex County Beekeeper’s Association in Topsfield, MA. Noah earned his B.S. in Biology at Northeastern University (2005) and his Ph.D. in Biology at Tufts University (2011).
Noah lives in Boston where he continues to be inspired by the community gardens around the city. Growing up in Fairfield, CT, Noah was not fond of insects as a kid. This changed in high school when he participated in Project SEARCH, a state-run program using aquatic invertebrate species as bio-indicators for water pollution.
As an undergraduate at Northeastern University, he continued his involvement in research and produced three publications during this time. As a graduate student, he continued his investigations into the mysteries of the social insect world. Noah’s efforts as a graduate student have produced nine additional publications to date. Noah is currently researching the efficacy of three different vaccines for honey bees, for which a U.S. Patent is pending. As an academic scientist, Noah has published over a dozen articles relating to disease resistance in social animals and is the author of the new book The Bee: A Natural History (Princeton University Press 2014).

The talk is free and open to the public. The meeting is readily accessible via public transportation. Parking is available in the Oxford Street Garage with advance arrangement, as described here, or (usually but not always) at spaces on nearby streets. Everyone is also welcome to join us for dinner before the talk (beginning at 6:00 PM) at Cambridge Common restaurant, on 1667 Massachusetts Ave.

CEC meetings are held the second Tuesday of the month from October through May. The evening schedule typically includes an informal dinner (6:00 to 7:15 PM) followed by our formal meeting (7:30 – 9:00 PM). The latter begins with club business and is followed by a 50 minute entomology related presentation. Membership is open to amateur and professional entomologists.

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