Biology Weekly Seminar - Gard Otis

Asian honey bees collect animal dung to deter giant hornet attacks

Gard Otis' career spans more than 40 years of research predominantly in the ecology and behaviour of honey bees and butterflies. Since his first visit to Asia in 1986, he has been captivated by diverse honey bee (Apis) fauna there. He has also been involved in efforts to develop beekeeping as an enterprise for poor rural farmers, most notably in Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, and Vietnam. While in Vietnam, he discovered that Asian hive bees collect dung, an odd and unreported behaviour. In this seminar Gard will describe that discovery and the exciting research that followed.