Petra Hafker is a Ph.D. student of entomology in the lab of Christophe Duplais, associate professor of entomology at Cornell AgriTech. Hailing from Richmond, Virginia, as an undergraduate student, Petra studied the invasive spongy moth at the University of Richmond and also worked on a salamander mark-and-recapture project in the James River Park System. Following her pre-med curriculum, she developed an appreciation for the chemistry lab and worked on the bench as a chemist for the pharmaceutical produce development branch of Thermo Fisher Scientific.
Her interest in entomology grew from an internship with the Appalachian Beekeeping Collective, learning disease management and varroa mite assessment. She later worked for NEON, the National Science Foundation’s National Ecological Observatory Network, collecting insects in Utah’s deserts. Now at Cornell AgriTech, Hafker develops eco-friendly tools to manage varroa mites in honeybee populations.
Explain your research in layman’s terms. What approaches are you using and what problems do you hope to solve?
I am searching for eco-friendly tools to manage varroa mites, a parasite that feeds on honeybees, spreads pathogens and reproduces in the hive. I will carry out experiments testing new possible tools and use molecular biology techniques to understand how currently used tools may be putting pressure on the honeybee immune system. It is known that honeybees derive nutritionally important fats from pollen and certain fats can help combat immune stress. I will look at current pollen hive supplements on the market and assess which have the highest levels of these essential fats.
What’s one fascinating thing that most people wouldn’t know about the kinds of bees you work with?
It’s “bananas”! Like many animals, honeybees communicate using pheromones or chemical signals. One of the warning compounds a worker bee will release when it feels threatened is isoamyl acetate. This chemical is one that humans can detect, and it smells just like bananas. If you’re working in the hive and smell bananas, be extra cautious.
What are some of your most successful research findings?
My work on a commercial bioinsecticide for varroa mite management has shown it is not harmful to forager and nurse honeybees, even at higher concentrations. Further experiments in summer 2025 will test its effectiveness against varroa. During my spring 2025 AgriTech Extension Outreach Assistantship, I surveyed New York apple growers on pollination practices, comparing current reliance on managed bees to data from over a decade ago. I look forward to continuing my applied research and interacting with growers who depend on pollinators.
