I completed my Masters' degree in 2009 in the Department of Entomology, advised by Dan Papaj and Steve Buchmann. I am interested in the behavior and population biology of native bees as it relates to bee conservation. I studied how urban fragmentation of desert habitat impacts the foraging behavior and reproductive success of native Creosote bees. One study sought to determine if bees that inhabit small desert fragments have lower reproductive success than bees in large fragments. I am also interested in how olfactory cues mediate a bee’s ability to locate suitable nesting sites and how such cues may be exploited by nest parasites.

Howell, A. D. and R. Alarcón. 2007. Osmia bees (Hymenoptera; Megachilidae) can detect nectar rewarding flowers using olfactory cues. Animal Behaviour 74:199-205.