James Krall, Assistant Professor of Entomology UW-Madison, talks about some of his studies on “Bee Health and Behavior Under Anthropogenic Stressors”. So while past agricultural insecticides, like DDT, effects were large and obvious — death of insects with side effects on other species — today’s insecticides are sometime much more subtle, and while some insects may be spared from immediate death, these chemicals may affect insect social behavior and lead to long-term species issues. Krall investigates bees, honey bees and bumble bees, showing effects on neurobiology and ability for ground-dwelling bees to be able to thermal regulate during cold temperatures.
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