News

Feb 02, 2022

Mining for knowledge: Scientists identify bee that can aid black cherry recovery

A ground-nesting bee family — commonly known as miner bees — could play a heightened role in rebuilding black cherry populations in Pennsylvania and beyond, according to Penn State entomologists who investigated pollinators’ contributions to the valuable hardwood species.

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Jan 19, 2022

Entomologists to study how climate change may influence pollinator stressors

A Penn State-led team of researchers will use a newly awarded $682,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture to examine how climate change may influence and interact with various stressors that affect the health of pollinators.

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Jan 12, 2022

Researchers use satellites to monitor bat habitat and study virus spillover

Over the last year and a half, the word "remote" has come to dominate a large portion of our collective consciousness. We’ve had to work remotely, learn remotely, and even socialize remotely. But before the pandemic, because of the nature of their research, remote was already a part of the daily lexicon of some Penn State researchers.

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Oct 25, 2021

Popular perennial flowering plants can attract diverse mix of pollinators

Popular species of perennial flowering plants vary widely in their attractiveness to pollinators, but homeowners and landscape managers who select certain perennial cultivars can support a diverse community of pollinators in their own backyards, according to a new study from a team of Penn State researchers.

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Oct 22, 2021

Scientists uncover the genetic pathway that colors bumble bee stripes

While most people in the U.S. may think of bumble bees as the standard yellow and black variety, there are an estimated 260 bee species that sport about 400 different color patterns. One reason many people associate bumble bees with distinct colors is because evolution can influence multiple bee species to share similar color patterns in specific geographic regions, which scientists call mimicry.

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Oct 07, 2021

Warm, wet autumn could mute and delay foliage display in Pennsylvania

Because of the warm, wet summer, trees in Pennsylvania are mostly in great shape. But for the state’s forests to exhibit their most vibrant colors, conditions need to be cooler and drier in the next few weeks, according to a Penn State expert.

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Sep 13, 2021

Long-distance relationships for endangered corals

Flash-frozen sperm collected from corals in Florida and Puerto Rico was used to fertilize coral eggs from hundreds of miles away in Curaçao. The technique could be used as a conservation tool by introducing genetic variation into endangered corals and potentially accelerating their adaptation to climate change.

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Aug 11, 2021

Global food security professor named to 'Most Creative People in Business' list

Entomologist David Hughes has been named to Fast Company's 2021 list for his innovative, impactful PlantVillage project.

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Aug 09, 2021

PlantVillage University Seminar Summary - Dr. James Legg and Cassava Viruses

PSU IBC graduate student fellow Kwadwo Amoah shares some of the research of Dr. James Legg from IITA-Tanzania. Dr. Legg's full lecture on vector-borne diseases of cassava can be viewed on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zd7S2BLNHro

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Aug 09, 2021

Agroforestry for Food Security and Climate Change in Africa

PSU IBC graduate student fellow Kwadwo Amoah shares some of the research of Dr. Phokele Maponya from the Agricultural Research Council in Pretoria, South Africa. Dr. Maponya's full lecture on agroforestry practices in Africa can be viewed on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEBeUBbCRks

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