News

Credit: Brennan Dincher / Penn State.

Three projects receive Huck Innovative and Transformational Seed Fund grants

Three potentially high-impact, high-risk research projects have been selected to receive seed funding for the latest round of the Huck Innovative and Transformational Seed (HITS) Fund initiative.

A mining bee (Andrena sp.) climbs on a blueberry flower. The bee species was one spotted by volunteers through a program led by Penn State.  Credit: Nash Turley / Penn State. Creative Commons

Volunteers record bee biodiversity and discover new species in Pennsylvania

A new study, recently published in the Annals of the Entomological Society of America, evaluated the efficacy of a monitoring program, finding that 26 trained program volunteers were more than twice as effective at documenting bee diversity than thousands of users of the photo-based app iNaturalist.

Honey bees may play role in spreading viruses to wild bumble bees

Honey bees may play a role in increasing virus levels in wild bumble bees each spring, according to researchers at Penn State who analyzed seasonal trends of parasite and virus transmission in bees.

Arboretum at Penn State's Pollinator and Bird Garden wins international award

The Arboretum at Penn State has been recognized with an international award for sustainable landscape architecture for its Pollinator and Bird Garden.

Penn State pollinator experts author a new book that explores the lives of bees

Two renowned pollinator scientists in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences and the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences have co-authored a book that sheds light on one of the Earth’s most invaluable resources: bees.

Q&A: Should you skip #NoMowMay and #PlantMayFlowers instead?

Many have heard about “No Mow May” — a movement that encourages people not to mow their lawns during the month of May to encourage the growth of flowering plants for bees and other pollinators. But is it really beneficial?

A bust of Penn State's first president Evan Pugh located in the main lobby of Old Main. Credit: Patrick Mansell / Penn State. Creative Commons

Five faculty members honored with Evan Pugh University Professorships

Five Penn State professors—including Huck-affiliated faculty members Reka Albert, Vijaykrishnan Narayanan, and Clive Randall—have been named Evan Pugh University Professors, an elite and prestigious distinction conferred by the University on only 79 faculty members since the establishment of the designation in 1960.

Réka Albert named Evan Pugh University Professor

Réka Albert, distinguished professor of physics and biology at Penn State, has been named an Evan Pugh University Professor, the highest honor that Penn State bestows on a faculty member.

Firefly populations at risk due to climate change, urban development

Catching fireflies is an iconic summer experience for many people living in North America, but the flickering beetles are on the decline. New research has identified factors that may be contributing to declining populations.

Kissing bugs, vector for Chagas disease, successfully gene edited for first time

Kissing bugs, or triatomine bugs, are the primary vector for Chagas disease. New research from an international team, including a Penn State researcher, demonstrates — for the first time — the use of CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing in kissing bugs and opens the door to research on applied strategies for Chagas disease control.