Tobin Hammer News Today

UCI assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology Tobin Hammer and his team of researchers are studying how certain pathogens affect bumblebees through their gut.

UC Irvine scientist uncovers surprising facts about the fuzzy insects

Scientists at the University of California, Irvine have made a remarkable discovery about cellophane bees – their microbiomes are some of the most fermentative known from the insect world. These bees, which are named for their use of cellophane-like

Scientists at the University of California, Irvine have made a remarkable discovery about cellophane bees – their microbiomes are some of the most fermentative known from the insect world. These bees, which are named for their use of cellophane-like materials to line their subterranean nests, are known for their fascinating behaviors and their important ecological roles as pollinators. Now, researchers have uncovered another aspect of their biology that makes them even more intriguing.

"...lactobacilli are important for fermentation of food, but finding wild bees that use them essentially the same way was really surprising."