What's in the Lab?

Many of our projects involve rearing moths and butterflies.  We work with both field collected caterpillars and commercially supplied species.  In some studies we measure diversity of species, in others we look at the role of plant chemistry in host choice.

Our researchers are also partial to bees.  We study their diversity, their diseases, and their phenology.  Bumble bees dominate the lab, but we love digger bees, too.

We study beetles in several contexts, involving both live and dead organisms.  They feature heavily in our forensic studies but also in our work on nematodes.

We use fireflies as a case study in the importance of habitat complementarity.  Are you a night owl?  We have a place for you in our lab.

Found a bug in your bathtub, basement, or ball field? Bugguide.net is a great website for identification but feel free to email if you need our assistance.  We accept things that bite, but we beg you not to bring us live bedbugs.

Our REU Intern took our lab in a new direction.  Now we study even smaller things.  The diversity of species below ground may be as great as that on the physical surface.  Nematodes, for example, are numerous in number, type, and impacts on plants. What's in your soil?! 

A few our our favorite plants include species that rely on ants for defense.  Other ants in our lab are those we study in urban ecology projects or that tend caterpillars.

We're moving into a new area of research since Dr. Hanley has joined our department.  Ask about our work on color in Phasmid eggs and butterfly wings.

Some of us started as arachnologists and still love to study spiders. We have projects investigating color change, sexual behavior, phenology, and ecosystem engineering. 

Since we primarily look at plant-insect interactions, we value anyone with a green thumb.  We grow many plants from seed in Mason's rooftop greenhouse and at Blandy Experimental Farm.  Come grow with us.