Why study pollinators in New York state?
Pollination is a valuable ecosystem service. In New York, pollinators include managed honey bees (Apis mellifera) and wild native bees. Pollinated plants support a functioning environment by providing clean air, filtered groundwater, habitats for wildlife and an aesthetic landscape, in addition to one-third of the food we eat. Studying bees in New York ensures the health and stability of our ecosystems and economy.
Our pollinator research programs
The Danforth Lab studies bee evolution, phylogeny, ecology and the important role that wild bees play as agricultural pollinators. They combine phylogenetic studies of bees based on molecular data with ecological studies of bees and their interactions with flowering plants.
PI: Bryan Danforth
The McArt Lab studies the ecology of plant-pollinator interactions in natural and managed systems. They use tools from chemical and molecular ecology to assess how pesticides and pathogens impact pollinator health, ecology and the delivery of pollination services.
PI: Scott McArt
The Raguso Lab studies the sensory and behavioral aspects of plant-pollinator interactions, with an emphasis on the evolution of chemical signals and cues. Their studies span the full range of generalized to specialized pollination systems, including plants as exotic as Titan arums and Dracula orchids, and as local and economically important as apple and strawberry.
PI: Robert Raguso
The Agrawal Lab studies the ecology and evolution of plant-insect interactions, including aspects of herbivory, pollination, community and chemical ecology, as well as coevolution. Research projects include work on local biodiversity, ecology of invasive plants, the biology of monarch butterflies and the evolution of plant strategies.
PI: Anurag Agrawal
The Geber Lab studies plant ecology and evolutionary biology, including interactions between plants and their bee pollinators. There are two ongoing projects involving wild bee pollinators: the ecology and evolution of specialist bee pollinator sharing in the plant genus Clarkia, and the impact of large solar energy facilities on wild bee populations in the eastern Mojave Desert.
PI: Monica Geber
The Poveda Lab studies plant-insect interactions in agricultural systems. Their goal is to find sustainable strategies that will manage pollinators, pests and natural enemies to increase yields. Past studies have investigated landscape-scale effects on strawberry pollinators and natural enemies in upstate New York.
PI: Katja Poveda
Dyce Lab for Honey Bee Studies
Dyce Laboratory for Honey Bee Studies is located adjacent to the Cornell campus at 201 Freese Road. The lab’s focus is to promote a sustainable beekeeping industry by conducting applied research, providing educational programs and supporting beekeepers. The lab also houses programs that study bumble bee health and the impacts of pesticides and pathogens on pollinators. The lab works closely with hobbyist, part-time and commercial beekeepers across New York. For the past 50 years, Dyce Lab has hosted beekeeping and pollinator health workshops and is open to the public for various extension activities.
New York state neonicotinoid assessment
In August 2018, with funding provided through the NYS Environmental Protection Fund to research potential adverse impacts of pesticides, such as neonicotinoids, Cornell began developing a risk-benefit analysis of neonicotinoid insecticide usage in New York state with the following three goals:
- Estimate the pest control and plant protection benefits of neonicotinoid insecticides under current usage in New York.
- Estimate the risk from neonicotinoids to pollinators.
- Evaluate the relative benefits and risks of likely neonicotinoid substitutes (i.e., other insecticides or pest control strategies) compared to neonicotinoids.
This 432-page report summarizes the research undertaken to address those goals.
If you have questions regarding the report, contact Scott McArt, assistant professor of pollinator health, at shm33 [at] cornell.edu (shm33[at]cornell[dot]edu).
Chemical Ecology Core Facility
The Chemical Ecology Core Facility provides a pesticide residue testing and analysis service. The facility can quantify pesticide residues in flowers, leaves, pollen, soil, wax, bees, honey and other substances. Its services are intended for researchers, beekeepers, farmers, government agencies, stakeholder organizations and individuals.