Landscape Ecology of Insects
Much of the research conducted in our lab focuses on beneficial insects in agricultural landscapes. Specifically, we investigate how the type and configuration of natural habitat in agricultural landscapes influences beneficial insects and the services they provide (e.g., pest control). In general, the more natural habitat found in a landscape, the more beneficial insects and …
While many spend the final days of October perfecting Halloween costumes and nibbling on sweet treats, bat enthusiasts around the country gather for the annual Bat Week: October 24-31, 2016. This national, week-long event works to raise awareness around bat conservation and dispel many of the fears and misconceptions about our flying friends. Hosted …
Recently, Tracy Campbell joined the Gratton lab (co-advised by Chris Kucharik) as an Agronomy Master’s student. Tracy will be working with Claudio and Chris to organize a symposium on the use of Ecoinformatics (or “Big Data”) in Agricultural Research. To learn more about “big data” in Entomology and Agriculture, click here , here, here, and …
Over the past decade, honey bees in the United States have experienced unprecedented declines. Scientists believe that these bee losses are caused by a variety of factors including pesticide exposure, loss of floral resources in the landscape due to intensification of agriculture, and infestation of hives by parasitic mites. For the past ten years, bee …
The Gratton lab is back in the field working on projects already this year! Post-doc Hannah’s project on Apple pollination is underway, and crews have been out at orchards across southern Wisconsin counting flowers, bees, and enjoying the beautiful sites! Check out the photos and videos below! [youtube]https://youtu.be/KK8-YEpkceA[/youtube]